On Saturday, Feb. 8, Drury’s basketball teams are scheduled to rival against the University of Illinois – Springfield (UIS) for the annual event, Overflow the O’. The Lady Panthers will kick off the event at 1 p.m. followed by the Panthers at 3 p.m.

An event that brings students, fans and athletes together

“I am always excited about the game because you really get to see the Drury community come together to support two great teams,” said Drury dancer and student, Stephanie Schumacher. “Students, alumni, friends and family alike all attend to cheer on both the Panthers and Lady Panthers.”

To add to the enthusiasm, the Drury dance team will be performing as well as the cheerleaders.

Panther Conley Garrison (Photo via Ben Fisher)

When asked how the Panthers felt about the event, Drury Men’s Assistant Coach Ben Fisher responded, “Overflow is one of the biggest games our guys look forward to. Our new guys and freshman have heard about it but nothing compares to playing in it. We use it as a recruiting tool because of how awesome the atmosphere is. Bobby Hearn does a great job as the videographer and his overflow videos are tremendous.”

Prepared for success

At the time of publication, the Lady Panthers are 21-0 and 12-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) and are ranked number one for the 11th consecutive week in the WBCA NCAA Division II Poll.

Fans and students alike are excited to watch them continue on during their undefeated season.

In regards to the Panther’s season, Fisher continued, “We have faced some adversity early in the semester as well as a lot of games on the road. We are building on our learning experiences and hopefully peaking at the right time come February with a lot of home games left.”

Energetic atmosphere

“The atmosphere is amazing. We typically get a pretty good turnout for other home games but nothing compares to Overflow,” said Fisher. “From the start, our players get energy from the crowd and student section as well an intimidation factor for the opposing team. We would love for all remaining home games to have a great student turnout with four left on the schedule.”

Panther Isaac Johnson (Photo via Ben Fisher)

The remaining schedule for both the men’s and women’s teams are available online.

“Big kudos to Michele Boswell and Carol Oliver as they came up with this idea in 2012,” said Fisher. “It has snowballed into one of the premier events on campus every year. The day is just full of energy and it showcases how good our women’s and men’s basketball teams are especially when we play in front of 3200 rowdy fans and students.”

Overflow the O’ is anticipated to attract a large, energetic crowd. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the O’Reilly Family Event Center Box Office.

Written by Madelynn Fristo.