Box score | Season stats

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- In the final game of the 2009 SBU Thanksgiving Classic, the SBU women and Drury met for the first time since 2001. The Bearcats had an upset in reach, trailing by six points with just under six minutes remaining, before the Lady Panthers would get hot and pull away down the stretch to win 76-58.

SBU (1-4) was led in scoring by Rachel Graves with 14 points. Mia Gilreath and Abbey Frazier had 10 points each for the 'Cats. Ashleigh Gallio had five rebounds to lead SBU.

SBU started strong, leading 19-8 with just over five minutes gone. Drury (4-2) would battle back to grab the lead in the late first half. SBU would tie the game just before the break and the teams would exit tied at 33. In the second half, the Lady Panthers would extend their lead to 51-40 with 12:37 left. SBU would cut the lead to 61-55 with 5:42 left, before a 15-3 DU run would seal the game.

Lindsay Ballweg led Drury with 26 points including six of nine from three point range. SBU outshot Drury in the first half (47% to 32%) before the Lady Panthers turned tide in the second half (52% to 31%). Drury outscored SBU 43-25 in the second frame. DU also hit 19 of 20 from the foul line.

Graves and Ballweg were joined on the SBU All-Thanksgiving Classic Team by Whintae Irby and Janette Burgin of Quincy (which won both games in Bolivar) and Deidra Dace of Central Missouri.

SBU opens MIAA play on Wednesday night against Central Missouri in Warrensburg. The opener with the Jennies begins at 5:30 p.m.