SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – McKendree University women's basketball second-year freshman guard Clare Breden (Jerseyville, Ill./Jerseyville Community) and redshirt senior guard Sydney Diekhoff (Pekin, Ill./Pekin Community) combined to score 29 points, but ninth-ranked Drury scored over 30 points each in the first three quarters en route to earning a 111-55 victory here Saturday over the Bearcats in Great Lakes Valley Conference action at the O'Reilly Family Events Center.
With the setback, McKendree falls to 3-18 overall and 2-12 in the GLVC, while Drury extends its homecourt win streak to 20 straight games and moves its record to 24-3 overall and 14-2 in the GLVC.
The 111 points scored by Drury are the most points allowed in a game by the Bearcats since they allowed 114 points in a 114-80 loss on Nov. 29, 2011 at Olivet Nazarene.
Drury was led by two-time NCAA Division II All-American Paige Robinson, who scored 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field, including hitting five treys to move into the second place on Drury's all-time scoring chart. Robinson was the Division II National Player of the Year during the 2019-20 season.
Robinson was one of five Lady Panthers to score in double figures as Alana Findley added 18 points and seven rebounds, while Kaylee DaMitz tallied 15 points and seven assists. Terrion Moore and Payton Richards each scored 10 points for Drury.
Breden led the way for the Bearcats with 16 points to record her team-leading 14th double-digit scoring game of the season, while Diekhoff added 13 points in the loss.
With her 13 points, Diekhoff pushed her career scoring total to 1,216 points and is now just 42 points shy of Katie Hasheider for 10th on the school's all-time scoring chart as Hasheider scored 1,258 points from 2003-07. Along with her 13 points, Diekhoff also hit two treys in the game to tie Brandi Higgins for fourth in the school's all-time 3-point field goals made chart with 165.
For the game, the Bearcats, who have now lost five straight games since picking up a 58-48 win at William Jewell on Jan. 27, made 42 percent (19-for-45) of their shots from the floor, including making five of its 13 3-pointers and also making 12-of-14 free throws. However, McKendree was outrebounded 32-27, but committed a season-high 32 turnovers that led to 45 points for Drury. Drury collected 18 steals and blocked seven shots.
Drury finished the game shooting 61 percent from the field and 41 percent from the 3-pont line. The Lady Panthers also were 16-for-23 from the free throw line in the game.
After being outscored in the first three quarters of the game, McKendree won the fourth quarter as they outscored the Lady Panthers, 18-14, as Breden scored nine of her team-high 16 points in the quarter.
Drury opened the first quarter by making 13 of its first 22 shots as they outscored the Bearcats, 31-11 in the opening quarter.
The Lady Panthers would outscore the Bearcats, 32-14 in the second quarter to hold a 63-25 lead at the half. The 63 points at the half were the most scored by any Bearcat opponent this season. Drury was the only team to score 30 or more points in three quarters this season against the Bearcats.
Drury scored 34 points in the third quarter to hold a 97-37 lead after three quarters against the Bearcats.
The Bearcats will return to action next Thursday, Feb. 17 as they host Lindenwood for a 5:30 p.m. game on Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night at the Melvin Price Convocation Center.
