LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On Thursday, the Bellarmine University women's basketball team captured its first victory in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament since 2007.
And the Knights don't want to stop there.
On Saturday at Family Arena in St. Charles, Missouri, 24th-ranked and third-seeded Bellarmine (22-3) will meet 10th-ranked and second-seeded Drury (24-3) at 1 p.m. (ET) in the GLVC Tournament semifinals.
The Knights advanced to the semis with a 59-52 triumph over sixth-seeded Saint Joseph's, while the Panthers charged forward with an 87-55 romp over seventh-seeded Rockhurst.
The teams' regular-season meeting took place on Feb. 6 in Springfield, Missouri, and Drury came away with an 84-66 victory. The game was tied after one quarter, but the Panthers outscored the Knights 28-14 in the second period, and BU never recovered.
Junior forward
Sarah Galvin piled up 28 points and 14 rebounds, but Bellarmine shot only 34.4 percent and committed 19 turnovers. Drury was marginal from the field (42.6 percent), but the Panthers stroked eight 3-pointers to the two of the Knights and were sound from the free-throw line (24 of 29, 82.8 percent) to create a cushion.
Led by Annie Armstrong's 19 points, five players scored in double figures for Drury against Bellarmine. The Panthers' win over Rockhurst in the GLVC Tournament quarterfinals was similar: Armstrong scored 16 points to pace five double-figure scorers. Drury shot 56.3 percent against the Hawks and was successful on 13 of its 27 3-point attempts.
Armstrong leads Drury in scoring at 15.2 points per game and Alice Heinzler adds 11.1. Four other Panthers average 7.4 points or better. Drury leads the GLVC in scoring (76.9) — just ahead of Bellarmine's 75.6 — scoring margin (plus-15.1), 3-point percentage (44.0) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.16).
In its GLVC quarterfinal, Bellarmine leaned more heavily on its defense than explosive offense. The Knights limited the Pumas to 37.1 percent shooting and an 0-for-11 mark from 3-point range. Led by junior guard
Whitney Hartlage's trio of 3-pointers, the Knights sank five from deep and also hit 14-of-17 free throws (82.4 percent) to the 6 of 10 of St. Joe's, figures that helped create the difference in scoring.
Galvin posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, Hartlage added 13 points and sophomore guard
Raven Merriweather chipped in 12.
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GLVC TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS (BRACKET)No. 3 Bellarmine (22-3) vs. No. 2 Drury (24-3) Date: Saturday, March 5
Tip-off: 1 p.m. (ET)
Site: Family Arena (St. Charles, Missouri)
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