SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—The Bellarmine Knights erased 25 of Drury's  27-point lead, but couldn't quite make it back all the way as the Panthers hung on to post a 78-70 victory in a Great Lakes Valley Conference women's basketball contest in Weiser Gymnasium.

Bellarmine (10-5, 3-3 GLVC) did very little right over the game's first 24 minutes as Drury built a 58-31 lead.  However, the Knights soon found their shooting touch while the Panthers starting missing. After Bellarmine's Jalissa Chatlos converted a pair of free throws with 55 seconds remaining, the Drury lead was just two. 

After forcing Drury (13-3, 5-0 GLVC) into a missed shot on the next possession, Bellarmine then gave up two offensive rebounds and were forced to foul. 

Drury's Katie Pritchard calmly drained the free throws, and Bellarmine committed two turnovers in the game's final 12 seconds to help the Panthers extend the final margin to 78-70.

A trio of Bellarmine players score in double figures.  Brittany Edelen and Allison Matheis each scored 16, and Chatlos contributed 14. The Knights were playing their second consecutive game without starting point guard Kylie Brady, who is nursing a knee injury.

Game statistics show the striking difference in Bellarmine's play.  In the first half, the Knights hit just eight of 27 shots from the field for an icy 29.6 percent.  In the closing period, Bellarmine heated up and connected on 17 of 27 shots for 63 percent. Bellarmine was solid from the free throw line all night, making all 14 attempts.

Drury, conversely, hit 51.5 percent of their first half shots but cooled to just 40 percent in the second half.  The Panthers were inconsistent at the charity stripe, making just 20 of 32 attempts.

Bellarmine returns home on Thursday to take on the University of Indianapolis at 5:45 p.m. in Knights Hall.

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