SPRINGFIELD – The Drury Panthers hit six free throws in the final minute of play to hold off a pesky Southwestern (Kan.) team for an 80-73 win at the O’Reilly Family Event Center on Saturday.
The Panthers, playing their first game in two weeks, improved to 10-1. Southwestern is 11-5 after their weekend trip through Southwest Missouri.
With Drury leading 74-72, the Panthers went six for six from the free throw line in the final 47 seconds of regulation. John Williams hit all four of his attempts and Tevin Foster sank both of his as Drury put the game out of reach.
“Hats off to Southwestern. They came in here and shot 54 percent, shot 54 percent from three and out-rebounded us,” said Drury head coach Steve Hesser. “Probably our saving grace was being able to shoot 55 percent from the field because we only made five three’s and they out-rebounded us. We only turned the ball over 10 times and got them to 20 and those extra possessions got us some extra shots and that was the difference in the ballgame.”
Williams led the Panthers with 15 points while Foster added 14.
Southwestern’s Barrington Hunter led all scorers with 24 points going 8 for 9 from the field and 5 for 6 from behind the three-point line. His 24 points came in 23 minutes of playing time.
The Moundbuilders are the first team this season to have out-rebounded the Panthers as Southwestern had a 28-23 advantage on the glass.
The Panthers return to conference play on Thursday, Jan. 5 with a home game against Wisconsin-Parkside. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. in the O’Reilly Family Event Center.
