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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The sixth-seeded UIndy women's basketball team used stifling defense and balanced scoring to upset third-seeded Drury, 60-54, on Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the SCHEELS Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament at the Prairie Capital Convention Center.

The Greyhounds (19-9) were led by First Team All-GLVC guard Kristin Turner with a game-high 16 points and six assists, while Katy McIntosh added 13 points and season-high eight rebounds and senior Megan Gardner tied her career high with 12 points and season high with five assists.



"We had more than one weapon this game with a lot of people contributing," head coach Constantin Popa said. "That's the beauty of this team. We know Turner can score, but we also know other people can do some damage."

UIndy's balanced offense was coupled with a defense that shut the Panthers (20-7) down for the first 24 minutes of the game to the tune of 5-of-28 shooting and 13 turnovers. Overall, UIndy forced 16 turnovers and held the GLVC West co-champions to 35.8 percent shooting for the game.

"You've got to come out and play 40 minutes. We did that against Bellarmine (in the first round) and we did that again today against Drury," Gardner said. "We were playing zone for the second half of the season, but recently, we decided to go back to man and denying the wings. That helps the intensity of the game a lot, especially offensively because we can get the ball and go. Controlling the tempo was a big goal for us today, as well."

Drury's First Team All-GLVC combo of Katie Pritchard and Bethanie Funderburk each scored 13 points, but were held to 8-of-21 shooting and five turnovers, all by Funderburk.

"We came out of the locker room focused and played some really good defense," Popa explained. "We backed off the post players to see if they had anything from the outside and when they did catch at the top of the key, we were aggressive in denying the guards."

UIndy, seeking a return trip to the tournament championship game after falling to Lewis in St. Louis last season, were in control from the beginning. Turner found Eliza Wortman for a baseline jumper, then Wortman found Nickole Gonser for a three-pointer, followed by Gardner scoring on a backdoor cut from McIntosh as UIndy scored the first seven points on the way to a nine-point lead, 12-3.

The Panthers slowly pulled back within three, 14-11, but the Greyhounds made big shots at the end of the half. Chas Lecher scored on back-to-back cuts to the basket in a 35-second span and Turner buried a three-pointer from the top of the key on the last possession of the half for the Greyhounds to lead by 10, 23-13.

The Hounds started the second half with five in a row to build their largest lead, 28-13, but the Panthers had a run left in them. Drury closed to within four, 34-30, before Turner put UIndy back in control. She fed Wortman for a lay-up and then drove the lane for an old-fashioned three-point play to put UIndy back up nine, 39-30, with 9:56 to go.

Drury answered with another rally as 2:35 later it was a two-point game, 41-39, but again Turner had the answer. She buried a three-pointer from the top of the key to start a mini-run that put UIndy back up seven, 46-39, with 6:09 left.

"Obviously, we know that Turner is a pretty good player and she has the ability to hit the big shots when we need her to," Popa said.

Drury rallied again and was able to make it a one-basket game, 51-49, with 3:23 to go, but this time UIndy would look to another source to stem the tide. After a turnover by UIndy, Gardner was able secure the rebound off Drury's game-tying miss, while being fouled and hit both free throws. UIndy then forced another turnover and Gardner buried a three-pointer from the left corner as the defense collapsed on Turner to put UIndy back up seven, 56-49, with 1:43 remaining. UIndy then made 4-of-4 free throws in the final 23 seconds to secure the team's 19th victory.

"Obviously, I'm not the first person we're looking for and I understand that, but when other teams try to shut my teammates down, I'm ready to step up," Gardner said about scoring seven of her career-high-tying 12 points in the final 2:35 of the game.

The Greyhounds advance to the semifinals for the third year in a row on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET against the winner of seventh-seed Kentucky Wesleyan against second-seeded Wisconsin-Parkside.

"They know what it takes and that any game at this point is going to be a tough game," Popa said about his team's postseason experience. "You've got to play 40 minutes and be confident enough that you're going to get it done at both ends. I think we're very confident right now and understand how to win tournament games."