Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, MO. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team came up short in a 68-65 loss at Drury on Thursday night in Great Lakes Valley Conference action.
 
The Tritons trailed by nine with 6:31 remaining before whittling the lead down to two with 20 seconds. Drury had several opportunities to seal the game at the free throw line in the final 33 seconds, but went just 2-of-6 during that time, allowing UMSL to stay in the game.
 
An 11-3 run by the Panthers gave Drury its largest lead of the game at 56-47. UMSL pulled within four on five different occasions, including 66-62 on a Jessica Zavoral bucket with 36 seconds to play. The Panthers then missed three straight free throws before Bethanie Funderburk hit the second of two with 24 seconds on the clock, giving her team a 67-62 lead.
 
However, freshman Kelly Kunkel followed with a three-pointer to make it 67-65. Drury turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, but McGovern missed the game-tying shot attempt before the Panthers' Abby Bracker grabbed the rebound, was fouled and made one of two at the line for the final score.
 
UMSL slips to 11-9 with the loss, including 6-6 in the GLVC, while Drury improves to 9-10 overall and 3-8 in the league.
 
Sophomore Alexis Lawrence led the Tritons with 12 points, while McGovern and Zavoral had 11 each.
 
Funderburk led all scorers with 22 points, connecting on 13-of-18 attempts at the free throw line.
 
Drury outscored UMSL, 7-1, in the final three minutes of the first half to take a 32-27 lead into halftime. The Panthers were aided by Kalea Park's 17 first half points on 8-of-9 shooting. She came into the game averaging just 4.8 points per game.
 
Drury jumped out to an early 8-2 lead before a 13-4 UMSL run gave the Tritons a 15-12 lead with 10:04 to play on an Alexis Lawrence two-point jumper.
 
The Tritons started the second half with a 7-3 advantage in the first four minutes and pulled within 35-32 on senior Devonna Smith's second bucket of the game.
 
UMSL shot 34.8 percent from the floor, while Drury shot 43.8 percent and held a 42-40 rebounding edge. Smith pulled down a team-best 13 boards and also collected three steals. Senior Angela Johnson dished out four assists, while McGovern added three.
 
The Tritons forced 17 turnovers and outscored Drury, 19-3, in points off turnovers.
 
UMSL closes out a three-game roadswing at Missouri S&T on Saturday.
 
TRITON TIDBITS: UMSL is 18-1 all-time against Drury… the Panthers avenged an early 58-56 loss to the Tritons this season… senior Devonna Smith collected double digit rebounds for the seventh time this season… her 13 rebounds also gave her 400 for her career… junior Jessica Zavoral, who had 12 points last Saturday at Illinois-Springfield, had back-to-back double figure scoring games for the first time this season.