March 6, 2010

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Drury's Bri Anton made a corner 3-pointer with 22 seconds remaining to break a tie score and help Drury to a 67-63 victory over Lewis on Saturday afternoon in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Semifinals. The loss ends Lewis' season in the GLVC Semifinals for the second consecutive season.

Lewis scored the first seven points of the game only to see Drury score the next eight. It was back and forth the rest of the half. Lewis knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to close out the half. First it was junior Jenny Turpel (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) hitting just her second of the season and then it was junior Kelly Monaco (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) making her second of the half.

Lewis shot an impressive 6-for-12 from long range in the opening half to lead 36-32 at the break.

The Flyers expanded their lead to as many as seven points in the second but Drury's dominance on the offensive glass helped the Panthers take their first lead of the second half at 49-47 with 12:06 remaining on a Caitlin Shouse layup.

Lewis took the lead back at 56-54 on a Monaco trey. A Drury offensive foul and a 3-pointer by freshman Labrenthia Murdock (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake) helped give Lewis a 59-54 lead with under six minutes remaining.

Drury rallied back and tied the game with 2:46 left. It was knotted at 63 with under a minute remaining when Anton's 3-pointer gave the Panthers the lead for good. Lewis tried to response with a Turpel trey, but it was no good. Anton grabbed the rebound and then made a free throw to make the final 67-63.

"I told the team in the locker room I was extremely proud of them," head coach Lisa Carlsen said.

Lewis limited Drury, the nation's leading field goal and 3-point shooting team, to 41.9 percent shooting on the afternoon. The Flyers shot 45.6 percent.

"Our half court defense gave us some opportunities today," Carlsen said.

Lewis bowed out in the GLVC Semifinals last season.

"We've been in this situation two years in a row now," Carlsen said. "We have a core group returning next year that knows we belong here and that next year will be their last shot."

Turpel finished with 23 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Murdock added 10. Monaco totaled nine points. Senior Kelly Dianis (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) and sophomore Lory Shaw (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township/UW-Green Bay) added eight. Shaw led Lewis with seven rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench. Junior Kady Currin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) had a career best nine assists with three steals.

Lewis shot their only free throws of the game with 2:16 remaining. Drury finished with a 14-6 advantage on the offensive glass, earning a 15-6 edge in second chance points.

Drury improves to 25-6 and will play UW-Parkside on Sunday for the GLVC Championship.

Lewis ends their season 18-12.