Championship Central
SATURDAY RESULTS
#6 Bellarmine def. #2 Lewis, 66-65
BOX | RECAP:
BU,
LEWIS
A driving layup by Breia Torrens with 10 seconds left on the clock lifted Bellarmine to a thrilling 66-65 upset of the No. 19 and second-seeded Lewis in the GLVC semifinals. The Flyers did get one final look for the game-winner, but the shot rimmed out as time expired. Bellarmine will have a shot at its fifth league title and second in four years, having last won the coveted hardware in 2016. Lewis loses just its fourth game this season and will await its NCAA Tournament fate at 26-4, while the Knights improve to 17-11.
#1 Drury def. #4 Truman State, 85-60
BOX | RECAP:
DU,
TSU
Top-seeded, top-ranked, and undefeated Drury used its aggressive defense to force 33 Truman turnovers en route to overpowering the Bulldogs 85-60 in the semifinal round of the league tournament. The Panthers were able to convert those turnovers into 29 points, and extended its perfect season to 30-0. Truman fell to 23-7 but may have a shot to bounce back in the NCAA Tournament, as it's ranked fifth in the most recent Midwest Region poll. This visit will be Drury's seventh to the title tilt and have the opportunity to win its third championship in a row and sixth in program history.
FRIDAY RESULTS
#6 Bellarmine def. #3 Southern Indiana, 68-57
BOX | RECAP:
BU,
USI
No. 6 Bellarmine came back from a four-point halftime deficit to defeat Southern Indiana 68-57 in the quarterfinal round. The Knights opened the game by scoring the first five points, but the Screaming Eagles closed the gap in pretty short order as the first 10 minutes were closely contested with three ties and four lead changes. Defense was a deciding factor in the victory as Bellarmine shot 43.9 percent while holding USI to just 33.9 percent from the field. Team rebounding also was key, as nine different players claimed two or more rebounds for Bellarmine for a slim 38-36 rebounding edge over a taller USI team. USI fell to 20-9 on the season, while Bellarmine improves to 16-11.
#2 Lewis def. #7 William Jewell, 68-57
BOX | RECAP:
LEWIS,
WJC
Lewis advanced to the semifinal round of the championship tournament with a 68-57 quarterfinal win over William Jewell. The Flyers improve to 26-3, while the Cardinals end their season with a record of 14-13. GLVC Player of the Year Jessica Kelliher continued to prove why she's deserving of that honor, leading all scorers with 25 points and grabbing a career-high 20 rebounds.
#1 Drury def. #8 McKendree, 87-79
BOX | RECAP:
DU,
MCK
Drury advanced to the semifinals with its 29th win in a row, beating McKendree 87-79 in the quarterfinal round. The Bearcats stayed with the Panthers early, trailing just 24-21 in the second period, but Drury went on a 22-6 run en route a 33-13 advantage in the quarter to take a 51-29 lead at halftime. Drury held a 24-point lead in the third period, but McKendree chipped away and got as close as five in the fourth quarter before the Panthers put the game away in the final 20 seconds. McKendree's Sydney Diekhoff almost single-handedly kept her squad within reach, as she scored a game- and career-high 38 points on 11-of-18 shooting, going 5-of-8 from three-point range and 11-of-13 from the free throw line. The No. 1 ranked and seeded Panthers improve to 29-0, while the eighth-seeded Bearcats end their season at 13-15.
#4 Truman State def. #5 Maryville, 88-82 (OT)
BOX | RECAP:
TSU,
MU
No. 4 Truman State came back from 14 points down, forcing overtime and ultimately coming away with the 88-82 victory over No. 5 Maryville to survive and advance in the quarterfinal round. The Bulldogs used a 21-7 fourth-quarter advantage to extend the game to OT where they held the Saints to another seven points, scoring 13 of their own for the eventual victory. Truman continues its run toward a second GLVC title while improving to 23-6 for its most victories in program history. Maryville concludes its season at 18-10.