Senior forward Jamel Grant scored 15 points to lead five Panthers in double-figures as Drury defeated St. Gregory's 86-70 in a non-conference matchup Wednesday night at Weiser Gym.
Freshman guard Kyle Vaughan added a career-high 12 points to go with seven rebounds, five assists and four steals in a team-high 26 minutes as the Panthers moved to 2-0 on the season entering Saturday night's showdown with Southwest Baptist (2-0) in Bolivar.
Freshman forwards Dusty Allen and Dominique Long added 11 points each while senior forward Adam White had 10 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
Drury led 46-30 at the half and played the Cavaliers (0-4) even in the second half, thanks in part to the Panthers' 37-percent shooting (15 of 41) in the second half and 40 percent (31 of 77) for the game.
But Drury countered that with a defense that forced a total of 23 turnovers.
"I think it's progress,' Drury coach Steve Hesser said. "We were better tonight than we were last week ... we didn't shoot the ball as well, and we were way too careless with the basketball. But it was progress, I thought."
Kyle Lulko had 19 points and Jade Carter added 11 points and eight rebounds to lead the NAIA-member Cavaliers from Shawnee, Okla.
With White leading the way with his 11 boards, Drury claimed a 53-31 rebounding advantage, including 29 of the offensive variety. The Panthers had eight players grab four or more rebounds, with Vaughan adding seven, senior forward Chris Ijames picking up six, freshman guard Dennon Mitchell adding five and Allen, Grant, Long and sophomore Alfred Nelson grabbing four each.
"We've got some guys that are growing up," Hesser says. "This is a journey ... we're getting better. Our young guys can't just go out there and steal oxygen. They've got to get stuff done.
"I wish I could bottle Adam White's tenacity and passion. He's just a warrior. Eleven boards, just fights, competes ... I'd like to get some other guys to have that passion and energy, because we'd be a lot better basketball team."
Hesser also had praise for the work of Vaughan, who helped the DU bench come up with a combined 36 points and 25 rebounds with the best game of his young collegiate career.
"Kyle has come in here and from last June has bought in and embraced (our program)," Hesser said. "Trying to fit in with older guys, he hasn't been aggressive on the offensive end. I told him today, 'You can miss and you won't be in trouble.' And he jumped up tonight and made a three early. His floor game, his defense ... and he just tries really, really hard. He gives Timmy (Brown) a break, and tonight we played Timmy and him together. You'll probably see a lot more of that combination."
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