Tech/Drury Game Notes

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns basketball team will get back on the road for a battle of top-25 teams, as the No. 19 Golden Suns face off against No. 4 Drury today at the O'Reilly Family Events Center in Springfield, Mo. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m.

COVERAGE
Today's game will be carried live on 102.3 FM (KCJC) in Russellville. Sam Strasner will call the play-by-play. 

THE STORYLINE
Today's game is a contest between nationally-ranked squads, as undefeated and nationally fourth-ranked Drury (8-0) hosts the 19th-ranked Golden Suns (6-1) in an old-fashioned "screaming kids game" - with more than 1,600 elementary students from 15 local elementary schools in attendance.

SCOUTING DRURY
The Panthers are on a roll to start the 2015-16 campaign and are playing their final home contest of the 2015 calendar year in today's game. Drury has been dominant both home and away this season but has done some of its best work at home - no team has played the Panthers closer than 15 points on the Drury home court this season, when Central Missouri fell 86-71. The scores have tightened a little bit since the Panthers opened Great Lakes Valley Conference play - Drury opened league play with its closest win to date, a nine-point decision over Missouri-St. Louis. Since then, DU has a blowout win over Maryville and an 11-point win over Missouri S&T, all on the road. Today's contest will mark the first home game since Nov. 28 for the Panthers. The Panthers are led offensively by Allie Armstrong (15.0 ppg) and Alice Heinzler (14.3 ppg), with Armstrong's 58 percent from beyond the 3-point arc ranking second nationally. Drury shoots 52.2 percent from the floor and 47.7 percent from long range - both marks leading all of Division II. Drury has won 22 of its last 23, and are 34-4 over the last two seasons under head coach Molly Miller. 

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN SUNS
Arkansas Tech has been idle since topping Southern Nazarene 90-63 back on Dec. 5, and will not play again after today's game until Jan. 7, when the Golden Suns face Southeastern Oklahoma in Durant. Fatima Adams continues to shine for the Suns, averaging 22.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Behind Adams is a deep and talented cast who have helped the Golden Suns average 86.1 points per contest - both Anissa Pounds (10.9 ppg) and Calli White (10.7 ppg) are in double figures in points, while Aujana Dawkins (9.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and Bre Brooks (9.1 ppg, 4.9 apg) are close behind. The play of Danielle Frachiseur has been huge for Tech this season - the junior has moved into a "sixth man" role this season and is averaging 9.1 points per game, hitting double figures in points three times. 

THE SERIES
Tech holds an all-time 3-0 advantage in the series between the two teams. This is the first meeting since the 2002 season, when Tech won a 57-45 matchup in Pensacola, Fla., The two teams played a home-and-home series the year before, with Tech winning a 68-63 overtime decision in Springfield and a 59-57 contest in Russellville.