FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

Box Score

SOMERS, Wis. (Jan. 9, 2016)-- A 27-1 scoring binge spanning two halves turned an 11-point deficit into a 15-point lead as the University of Wisconsin-Parkside women's basketball team unseated sixth-ranked Drury University 54-48 on Saturday in a nationally-televised Great Lakes Valley Conference clash inside DeSimone Gymnasium.
 
The homestanding Rangers (9-4, 3-2 GLVC) were staring at an 11-point deficit with 2:55 left in the second period before rattling off 27 of the next 28 points, holding the nationally-ranked Panthers (10-3, 3-2 GLVC) without a field goal for 11 minutes and six seconds. Stephanie Furr ignited the scoring frenzy, collecting six consecutive points to close the opening half. Kristin Conniff got things started in the third period with a three the old fashioned way, hitting a layup and a free throw while a Jessica Prince jumper tied the contest at 28 with 9:24 left in the third. A Taylor Stephen free throw gave the Green and White its first lead with 8:22 left and the Rangers never looked back. When the dust finally settled, UW-Parkside led 44-29 with 1:49 left in the third, forcing eight Panther turnovers while forcing the visitors to misfire on 11 consecutive attempts from the field.
 
Drury whittled the Ranger lead down to five on three separate occasions in the fourth but was unable to come any closer as Parkside collected its first victory over a top 10 opponent since downing sixth-ranked Washburn University 50-47 on Dec. 19, 2012.
 
The Rangers and Panthers traded buckets in the opening six minutes, featuring three ties before visiting Drury ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run, enjoying a 14-7 advantage after 10 minutes of play.
 
The Panthers extended their lead to 11 points with 2:55 left in the second period but UW-Parkside claimed the final six points of the half with Stephanie Furr converting a pair of layups and a jumper, including a bucket with 13 ticks left as the Rangers went into the locker room trailing 28-23.
 
Conniff led the Rangers with 15 points, hitting a trio of threes while Furr finished one board shy of a double-double, netting 12 points off the bench along with a game-best nine rebounds. Shelby Cheston chipped in eight points and eight rebounds off the bench while Brittney Fair tallied seven rebounds, six points, and five assists.
 
Alice Heinzler and Brook Duncan led Drury, each scoring nine points.
 
The Rangers finished the contest shooting 39.6 percent (19-for-48) from the floor, including 43.5 percent (10-for-23) in the second half while limiting DU to shooting just 30.9 percent (17-for-55) for the game, including a paltry 26.9 percent (seven-for-26) in the second 20 minutes of play.
 
UW-Parkside returns to the hardwood on Thursday, packing its bags for the Show Me State to face the University of Missouri-Saint Louis.