QU women lead for most of contest but lose for 14th consecutive time to Drury

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An opportunity lost.

The Quincy University women’s basketball team opened an early 12-point lead and led for nearly 27 minutes Thursday night, but its inability to convert on the offensive end in the closing minutes allowed Drury to rally for a 70-66 victory at the O’Reilly Family Event Center.

The Panthers improved to 14-4 overall and 9-3 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play with their sixth consecutive victory this season and 14^th in a row against the Hawks.

After QU’s Mikayla Huffine tied the score at 64 with a 3-pointer from the left corner with 2:01 remaining, Andjela Kremenovic turned a long outlet pass off a missed 3-point try into a layup to put Drury in front, 66-64.

The Hawks then misfired on another 3-point try and Cymirah Williams’ driving layup rolled off the rim with 53.8 seconds left. Beth Matas Martin, a graduate transfer who followed former QU coach Kaci Bailey to Drury this season, then hit a pullup jumper from the right elbow with 27 seconds left to make it 68-64.

Caitlynn Daniels hit one of two free throws for the Panthers to push the lead to five after Mariann Blass’ long 3-point attempt from the top of the circle hit the back of the rim. Taya Stevenson’s driving layup with 6.6 seconds to go provided the only points the Hawks could muster down the stretch.

QU got the ball to the rim in the first quarter, scoring 14 points in the paint, either at the basket or on mid-range jumpers, to open a 20-8 lead. Williams scored eight points and Dawson five as the Hawks made 9 of 16 shots in the period.

Meanwhile, Drury, which entered the game shooting nearly 49% from the field, made just 4 of 18 shots against QU’s 1-3-1 zone. The Panthers finally heated up in the second quarter, however, to twice close within two points before a Janiece Dawson rebound bucket with 3 seconds to go gave the Hawks a 35-31 halftime advantage.

Matas Martin, averaging a team-leading 16.5 points per game, did not score until the 3:29 mark of the second period and had just five points in the first half. She finished with 11.

Drury forward Reese Schaff, a 5-foot-11 sophomore, had 15 points in the first half, nearly matching her season average. She finished with 26 points to go along with 11 rebounds.

Williams had 11 points in the opening half but picked up her third personal 10 seconds into the third quarter and sat out the next seven minutes. Drury took advantage of her absence to erase a seven-point deficit to take its first lead since 2-0 on a Schaaf bucket to make it 43-42. The period ended with the score tied at 48.

Williams, who played only 18 minutes, then picked up her fourth foul with 8:50 remaining in the fourth quarter and didn’t return until the 3:01 mark with the Hawks trailing 62-59. She was scoreless in the second half.

QU (6-12, 5-7 in the GLVC) cooled off after the hot shooting start. It was 8 of 23 from the field in the fourth period and 13 of 42 in the second half. The Hawks were 3 of 20 from 3-point range and 5 of 13 from the free-throw line overall.

Stevenson led QU with 13 points. Huffine (12), Williams (11) and Blass (10) also reached double figures. The Hawks, coming off an upset road victory over Illinois-Springfield, are now 4-2 on the road. They play at Southwest Baptist on Saturday afternoon.

Drury defeated QU 81-56 when the teams met Nov. 27 in Pepsi Arena.