SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The game was tense in the final minutes, as Drury cut a one-time double digit Pitt State lead to only three points with less than a minute left. Lizzy Jeronimus made four free throws in the final 12 seconds to secure No. 10 Pitt State's (7-0) 78-73 win over No. 7 Drury (3-2) in the Doubletree/Houlihan's Thanksgiving Classic on Friday (November 28).

Jeronimus led all scorers, including four Gorillas in double figures , with 25 points. Kylie Gafford added 14 points. Mikaela Burgess came off the bench to add 12, and Cathy Brugman added 11. Brigit Hesser was just under double figures with nine.

Gafford and Jeronimus led the Gorillas with eight rebounds a piece, as the Gorillas out rebounded Drury, 37-34.

Pitt State hit .484 for the game overall, but made no threes in the second half. Drury was .431 for the game overall, including .429 from three-point range. They made nine threes overall, including four in the second half and a big three by Shelby White with just 19 seconds left that cut the Gorilla lead to three.

Drury also had four players score in double figures. Sanayika Shields put together a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Annie Armstrong scored 15, Alice Heinzler, 14, and Paige Wilson, 12.

Pitt State led by 11, 52-41, with 13:06 remaining in the game when Drury went on a 7-0 run lasting just over two minutes to cut the Pitt State lead to four, 52-48. The Panthers were able to keep the game close until a layup by Gafford with 2:37 to go put the Gorillas back up by 10, 70-60. The teams traded baskets and then Drury went on a 9-2 run, capped by the White three, that put the Gorillas up by just three with 19 seconds to go.

Jeronimus was fouled on the way back down the court and easily made her charity shots. A foul by Hailey Roderique on the other end sent Armstrong to the free throw line and she also made both shots to still keep the Pitt State lead at only three. The Gorillas got the ball to their end of the court, but Jeronimus was again fouled. She again sunk both her shots for the final 78-73 score.

The Gorillas held a 40-33 lead at the half. The team shot 47 percent (16-34) from the field, including a 7-for-15 performance from three-point range. The Gorillas had only two turnovers in the first half, while Drury committed six, including three off Gorilla steals.

Brigit Hesser scored the first points of the game for Pitt State. Though the Gorillas never had a big run, the Pitt State defense did not allow the Panthers back-to-back baskets at any point in the first half. This allowed the Gorillas a 10-point lead with 8:09 remaining in the half, capped by a three by Morgan Westhoff. PSU took its largest lead of the half, 35-23, with 4:02 remaining on a three by Burgess.

Pitt State continues Doubletree/Houlihans Thanksgiving Classic play on Saturday with a 7:45 p.m. game against Rockhurst.