Kameron Bundy scored a career-high 34 points in the final game of his illustrious four-year career, but the Panthers couldn't slow Quincy in the end in falling 107-99 in overtime of their Great Lakes Valley Conference quarterfinals matchup Friday night at the Family Arena.
Tevin Foster matched his Drury career high of 25 points as well, but seventh-seeded Quincy (20-9) rained in 15 3-pointers on the Panthers (19-8) and, after being tied at 92 at the end of regulation, pulled away late to end a seven-game losing streak to the No. 2 seed and defending GLVC champion Panthers.
The best news for the Hawks and coach Marty Bell is it officially the final time they will ever see Bundy, who finishes his DU career with 1,770 points and No. 10 on the all-time Drury scoring charts, and whose personal torture of Quincy the last three years included the famous "Bundy Bomb" from 40-feet to beat the Hawks in overtime last year, a shot that earned him the GEICO National Play of the Year award.
Bundy added six rebounds and four assists in playing all 45 minutes in his collegiate finale, his shooting effort highlighted by a 12-for-13 showing at the free-throw line.
But this time, a whole lot of Bundy, with a bunch of Foster mixed in, wasn't quite enough to overcome Quincy's deadly inside-out combination.
Guard Nate Des Jardins (21 points) went 6 of 8 from 3-point range, while guard Bobby Frasco went 4 for 5 as the Hawks went 15-for-32 from behind the arc as a team. Meanwhile, Joseph Tagarelli (20 points) Evan McGaughey (11 points, 12 rebounds) and Godson Eneogwe (14 points) had success inside as Quincy placed six in double-figures.
Drury trailed 50-44 at the half, the first time in 139 games – dating back to a January, 2012 trip to Kentucky Wesleyan – that the Panthers had surrendered 50 or more points in the opening half of a game. But the Panthers recovered quickly after the break, bolting out with a 13-2 surge to grab the lead, and it was back and forth from there.
After Quincy had gone up by eight (90-82) with 2:56 to play in regulation on a Des Jardins 3-pointer, Drury charged back again, and used two Douglas Moore free throws with 58 seconds left to tie the game at 92. Quincy missed two free throws, Bundy missed a 3-point try and the Hawks held for a final 3-point attempt by Eneogwe with two seconds left that bounced away to send it to overtime.
But in the extra period, the Hawks never trailed. Leading 98-97 with 1:52 to go after Bundy had pulled DU closer with the final 3-pointer of his career, Quincy scored the next four points on a Tagarelli bucket and two free throws by Von Washington III to go up 102-97, and DU never got closer than three again.
"Congratulations to Quincy … they played well," Drury coach Steve Hesser said. "I thought we did some nice things at times offensively, but I was definitely disappointed in our defensive effort. Quincy is very talented, and with their two leading scorers being inside players, they put a lot of pressure on you there. They also surround those inside guys with guys who can make the three.
"We struggled to get into a rhythm offensively there late and missed a couple of shots when they didn't. That's why they call it March Madness … you've got to make plays when they're presented to you. We didn't make some baskets when we had opportunities."
Foster made five 3-pointers and Bundy knocked down four treys as Drury went 10-for-22 from behind the arc.
Lucciano Gamiz, also playing the final game of his two-year DU career, joined Jamal Cummings in adding 11 points each and Drew Moore had 10 points and seven rebounds in a foul-plagued effort for the Panthers.
Drury was outrebounded 35-32 and committed 18 turnovers to 11 by the Hawks. The Panthers shot 53 percent from the field to Quincy's 52.
The Panthers saw a seven-game winning streak snapped in finishing 19-8, and more than likely missing the NCAA-II tourney field for the first time in four years.
"This team improved a lot … obviously, we've got a lot farther to go," Hesser said. "We finished 19-8, which is nothing to drop your head about. But we're putting this season to bed … and we're saying goodbye to two seniors. Looch (Gamiz) was a two-year guy, and Bundy a four-year guy who really meant a lot to this program. We're going to miss them, and we wish them well in their future endeavors."
