SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball team played hard but ultimately fell to No. 3 Drury University on Tuesday night 81-76. The Cardinals dropped their first game of the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center Thanksgiving Classic and saw their record fall to 4-2 overall.
How it happened:
- The Cardinals and Panthers traded baskets throughout the first six minutes of play and were tied 10-10. SVSU got baskets from Tori DePerry and Kaitlyn Zarycki.
- Drury ended the first quarter on an 8-2 run and took a 20-15 lead.
- The Panthers scored the first points of the second quarter before Maddie Barrie answered with a jumper of her own.
- Drury then proceeded to go on a 8-0 run and open up a 15-point lead.
- Maddie Maloney hit a three point basket to cut the lead to 12 points, before the Panthers hit a front end of a pair of free throws and took a 45-32 halftime lead.
- At the start of the third quarter, the Panthers hit another three pointer to go up 16 points, before SVSU clawed their way back into the game. The Cardinals outscored the Panthers 22-16 in the third period and trailed by only seven points heading into the final quarter.
- Drury went on an 11-0 run to begin the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals didn't go away quietly. SVSU got to within four points with under a minute remaining in the game, but the Panthers were able to make their free throws down the stretch and earn the victory.
Inside the Box Score:
- Zarycki scored a career high 36 points on 12-16 shooting, 3-4 from deep, and 9-9 from the free throw line. She also led all players in scoring.
- Barrie added 12 points, while Maloney had 10 points.
- DePerry had a game high nine rebounds as the Cardinals outrebounded the Panthers 32-25.
- SVSU was 29-51 from the field, 7-16 from three, and 11-13 from the line. Drury was 29-59 from the field, 7-13 from deep, and 16-27 from the free throw line.
- Paige Robinson was the Panthers leading scorer with 26 points.
Up next:
The Cardinals will face Truman State University at 1 pm Wednesday afternoon in their second game of the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center Thanksgiving Classic in Springfield, Mo.
