FAYETTE, Iowa - Drury's (Mo.) (14-6, 11-2 GLVC) Josie Storey ended Upper Iowa women's basketball's (11-10, 7-6 GLVC) three-game win streak with a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to defeat UIU, 77-75, on Saturday. The Peacocks made a season-high in free throws, shooting 24-of-27 (88.9%), but it was not enough to put the Panthers away in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium.
The Peacocks led, 75-71, with 10 seconds left after free throws by Bryar Duwe. Following a timeout, Storey knocked down her first 3-pointer of the game. A UIU turnover off the inbound gave the Panthers the ball back, but a loose ball on Drury's possession led to a jump ball tie-up. Unfortunately for UIU, the arrow kept the ball with the Panthers with 1.5 seconds on the clock.
Storey found some space on the inbound, getting the ball on the left wing. She banked in the turnaround jumper high off the glass for the game-winner.
UIU entered the fourth quarter trailing, 49-45, but started hot after a 3-pointer by Ellie Foster on the opening possession. This sparked a 13-2 run by UIU in the opening three minutes of the final period. Ava Privet scored six points during the run after getting fouled on a 3-pointer and knocking down an and-one layup.
Sydnee Nelson extended the lead to nine points, driving to the hoop for the layup, and Josie Foster later kept that lead with a basket and free throws to make the score 67-58 with 4:20 left. That nine-point lead was Upper Iowa's largest of the game. UIU led, 69-61, with 3:38 left after another Foster field goal, marking six straight points for the freshman.
That was when the Panthers turned it on. A Sara Mendel 3-pointer, followed up by an and-one layup, tied the game at 69-69. Kendyl Lodermeier got fouled with 59 seconds left and drained a pair of free throws. After a stop, Privet added another pair from the charity stripe for a 73-69 lead before the final few possessions.
The game started with a high-scoring first quarter, with Drury leading 20-19 after it. Both teams combined for a 16-of-39 (41%) mark from the field in the opening period. Privet and Josie Foster each had five points for the Peacocks in the first 10 minutes of play.
Drury used an 8-0 run in the second quarter to extend its lead to 34-25, marking its largest of the game. The Peacocks ended the half on a 7-0 run, capped off by an Amelia Valentino buzzer-beater 3-pointer before the break.
Privet led the Peacocks in scoring with 16 points, shooting a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe. That marked a career-high in free throws made for the junior. She added two steals and a rebound while drawing a team-high seven fouls.
Ellie Foster added 15 points, making her a double-digit point scorer in 15 of the team's last 16 games. She made a team-best three 3-pointers, going 3-of-7 (42.9%) from behind the arc. She also blocked two shots.
Josie Foster scored 14 points while tying for the team high in rebounds with six. That tied for her second-highest point total and her most rebounds in a game this season. She finished 5-of-8 (62.5%) from the field.
Lodermeier scored 12 points with three rebounds and a block while shooting 4-of-8 (50%). Duwe totaled six points with two rebounds and two assists. Valentino finished with six points and a steal after draining two 3-pointers.
Leading the Peacocks in assists was Nelson with four. She also tied for the team lead in rebounds with six. Kenzie Deaton and Magi Bjornson both scored, with Bjornson grabbing three rebounds and blocking two shots.
Rhi Gibbons led the Panthers with 19 points and six assists. Kaylee King added 15 points while Jazz Gray had 13 points. 6-foot-2 Sara Mendel had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Drury finished the game shooting 32-of-69 (46.4%) with a 6-of-14 (42.9%) mark from behind the arc. The Panthers were 2-of-9 (22.2%) from behind the arc before going 4-for-5 (80%) in the final seven minutes. The 32 field goals made were the most for a GLVC team against the Peacocks this season. UIU was 22-of-52 (42.3%) from the field and 7-of-18 (38.9%) on 3-pointers.
Both teams had 14 turnovers. Drury outrebounded the Peacocks 43-27, which helped have a 10-2 scoring difference on second-chance points. The Panthers had a 34-24 advantage in the paint and a 16-7 advantage on fast breaks.
UIU scored 30 points in the final quarter, the most in a quarter for the team since the GLVC opener against Quincy (Ill.). The 24 free throws were the most for the Peacocks since last season's Quincy game on Dec. 2, 2024, in an 88-84 win.
Upper Iowa heads to Missouri next weekend to play Missouri S&T (8-9, 4-7 GLVC) on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 5:30 p.m. and Lincoln (Mo.) (4-16, 2-11 GLVC) on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 1 p.m. The Peacocks defeated the Miners and the Blue Tigers back in December.
