Lady Panthers face No. 1 ranked Ashland in NCAA-II Tournament’s opening round, Fri., 1:30 pm (CT)

Drury Lady Panthers Game Preview
Drury Lady Panthers (25-6, 18-4) vs. #1 Ashland Eagles (30-1)
Fri., March 15, 2024 – NCAA-II Tournament, 1^st round
1:30 pm (CT) – Fieldhouse Arena – Allendale, Mich.
 
Tickets
$20, $12, $9 (senior, 55+), $6 (youth, 3-17), $3 (student)
Order Tickets
 
Live Coverage
Radio: KICK 92.3 FM / 1340 AM
Audio: 923kick.com, TuneIn app
Live Video: NCAA.com
Live Stats: GVSUlakers.com
 
Tournament Central
 
Tournament Schedule (all times Central)
Friday
#3 Ferris State vs. #6 Lewis, 11 am 
#2 Ashland vs. #7 DRURY, 1:30 pm
#1 Grand Valley St. vs. #8 Trevecca Nazarene, 4 pm
#4 Northern Michigan vs. #5 Kentucky Wesleyan, 6:30 pm
 
Saturday
FSU/LU vs. AU/DU, 4 pm
GVSU/TNU vs. NMU/KWC, 6:30 pm
 
Monday
Midwest Regional Championship, 6 pm 
 
Lady Panthers face number one Ashland in NCAA-II Tournament’s opening round
The Drury Lady Panthers face Ashland in the opening round of the NCAA-II Tournament at 1:30 pm (CT) on Friday in Allendale, Michigan.
 
Drury is 25-6, seeded seventh in the Midwest Regional, and received an at-large bid to the tournament. The Lady Panthers were two spots short of being ranked in the NCAA-II Top 25 this week after being ranked 23rd last week.
 
Ashland is 30-1 and ranked number one in the NCAA-II coaches poll. Despite their number one national ranking, the Eagles were seeded second in the Midwest Region as Grand Valley State, number two in the national poll, received the top regional nod and the home bid.
 
The winner of the Drury-Ashland game on Friday, will advance to the Midwest Regional semifinals and play the winner of third-seeded Ferris State and sixth-seeded Lewis on Saturday at 1:30 pm (CT). The regional championship game is scheduled for Monday at 6 pm.
 
Drury – Ashland, part VI
It is a rivalry worthy of Roman numeral. Friday’s meeting will be only the sixth game between the two programs in nine years, but each of the five previous games have epic battles that factored into the national championship picture every time.
 
Ashland leads the all-time series 3-2, and four of the five previous games have been in national tournament play. Last year’s game was the only regular season encounter with Ashland winning in overtime, 68-67, in the O’Reilly Family Event Center, on Nov. 23, 2022. Ashland went undefeated last year and the Lady Panthers did not lose again until the the national tournament, resulting in last season’s game likely determining the top seed and home court advantage in the 2023 Midwest Regional. The Eagles served as hosts and won the regional title and, eventually, the national championship.
 
Drury won at Ashland, 86-60, in 2016’s regional semifinals. The Eagles then won the next two contests, 74-62, in the 2017 regional finals, and 79-73 in the 2018 regional championship. The Lady Panthers hosted Ashland for the first time in 2021 for the regional championship and won 88-69.
 
The series is tied 2-2 in the national tournament, and Friday’s game will be the first time the two teams have met on a neutral court.
 
21 Tournaments in 24 years
The Drury Lady Panthers are in the NCAA-II Tournament for the 21st time in their 24 year team history, and they have reached the Big Dance for the 11th year in a row. Drury is 36-19 all-time in the tournament and has won five regional championships (2021, 2019, 2014, 2007, and 2004) and been the national runner-up twice (2021 and 2004).
 
About the Eagles
Ashland enters the national tournament having won 22 straight games, with their only loss of the season coming on Dec. 16 in a 66-62 loss at home to Ferris State. The Eagles won the Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship, defeating Trevecca Nazarene 99-58 on March 9.
 
Lady Panthers last game
Lewis 79 Drury 67 (March 10, GLVC Championship)
 — The Flyers led 22-12 after the first quarter
— Drury pulled within three inside the game’s final three minutes
— Caitlynn Daniels led the Lady Panthers with 26 points, 7 rebounds and shot 8 for 11 from the field
— Jenna Badali scored 31 points for Lewis and was 6 for 8 from three-point range
— Grace Hilber added 17 for the Flyers
 
Martin passes 1,000 career points
Drury guard Beth Matas Martin surpassed 1,000 career points on Jan. 11 in a win at home over Maryville. Matas Martin has 1,255 points in her four-year college career. The graduate student from Spain scored 786 points in two seasons at Quincy, then transferred to Drury and has 471 this season with the Lady Panthers.
 
Lady Panthers on single season charts
Daniels on single-season assist charts
1. Daejah Bernard (2018-19), 211
2. Daejah Bernard (2019-20), 174
3. Caitlynn Daniels (2023-24), 170
4. Ja’Nell Jones (2009-10), 167
 
Reese Schaaf nearing top season rebounding marks
1. Hailey Diestelkamp (2018-19), 316
2. Reese Schaaf (2023-24), 309
3. Melanie Oliver (2009-10), 311
4. Alana Findley (2021-22), 286
 
Martin among Drury’s single-season three-point leaders
1. Lindsay Ballweg (2009-10), 112
…
T-3. Katie Pritchard (2009-10) / Paige Wilson (2016-17) 93
5. Paige Robinson (2018-19), 89
6. Beth Matas Martin (2023-24), 86
7. Hope Hunt (2003-04), 79
 
QUICK FACTS
Records
Drury: 25-6
AU: 30-1, #1 NCAA-II
 
Regional Seeds
Drury: #7
AU: #2
 
Qualified
Drury: At-Large bid
AU: Automatic, GMAC Tournament champion
 
Head Coaches
Drury: Kaci Bailey (1^st yr., 25-6 / 3^rd yr., 47-42)  
AU: Kari Pickens (6^th year, 172-16)
 
Streak
Drury: Lost 1
AU: Won 22
 
Last Game
Drury lost vs. Lewis, 79-67 (March 10, GLVC Championship)
AU won vs. Trevecca Nazarene, 99-58 (March 9, GMAC Championship)
 
Last Five Games
Drury: 4-1
AU: 5-0
 
All-Time Series
Ashland 3-2
 
Last Meeting
Ashland 68 Drury 67, OT
(Nov. 23, 2022, at DU)
 
#allweDUiswin