Feb. 26, 2004

QUINCY, Ill. - After Lewis beat Southern Indiana last Saturday to clinch a tie for the Great Lakes Valley Conference men's basketball crown, Flyer head coach Jim Whitesell told his team he didn't want to share the program's first title in 16 years with anyone.

Apparently, the Flyers had that same selfish feeling Thursday night.

Facing a Quincy team that, despite struggling to qualify for next week's eight-team GLVC Tournament, boasted impressive home wins over upper-echelon league opponents Kentucky Wesleyan and Indianapolis, Lewis delivered a 76-65 victory over the Hawks.

The Flyers (22-4, 16-3), ranked 14th nationally in NCAA Division II and No. 1 in the Great Lakes Region, have one more item of regular-season business on their agenda. A win at Southern Illinois Edwardsville Saturday would give Lewis a school-record .850 winning percentage in conference games.

Demitrius Hunter led five Lewis double-digit scorers with 16 points. Sidney Holmes enjoyed a 5-of-5 shooting night and scored 13 points, while Monta McGhee, Steve Turner and Randy Wright scored 12 points apiece.

The Flyers were an efficient 23 of 42 (.548) from the field overall, 6 of 12 (.500) from beyond the arc and 24 of 34 (.706) at the foul line.

Trailing 13-11 midway through the first half, the Flyers assembled a 14-2 run that gave them a 25-15 lead at the 7:39 mark. Four of Lewis' five baskets in that stretch were 3-pointers, including a pair by Wright.

Quincy (10-16, 6-13) held Lewis without a basket for the next three minutes and trimmed the Flyer margin to 26-21.

That's when Hunter took over. The senior tri-captain made a layup and back-to-back 3-pointers on successive possessions, triggering a 17-6 run that gave the Flyers a 43-27 cushion at the break.

Holmes' conventional 3-point play and a Turner jumper expanded the lead to 48-27 before Quincy finally scored with 16:17 remaining.

The Hawks weren't dead, however. Hosea Pratt's 3-pointer at 11:26 capped a 13-2 Quincy run that sliced the Lewis advantage to 52-42.

Meanwhile, Lewis had shooting troubles, at least from the floor. The Flyers made just three field goals in the last 15:54 of the game, part of a 6-of-18 second-half tally.

But, knowing the conference title was just moments away, Lewis came through at the foul line. Twenty of the Flyers' final 26 points were scored at the stripe.

Quincy's Cory Cummens netted 18 points to lead all scorers. Jon Krumtinger had 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds, and Jordan Roth scored 10 points.

The Hawks were 21 of 52 (.404) overall and a paltry 2 of 14 (.143) from 3-point range. Quincy almost matched the Flyers at the foul line, connecting on 21 of 26 (.808).