March 7, 2004

Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Kentucky Wesleyan outscored Lewis 9-2 in the last 3:43 of overtime Sunday and edged the Flyers 72-71 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship game at Roberts Stadium.

With the victory, Kentucky Wesleyan (22-7) earned the GLVC's automatic bid to the eight-team NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional tournament that begins Saturday.

Lewis (24-6) was playing in the tournament title game for a third successive year. The Flyers beat Kentucky Wesleyan 77-65 two seasons ago and lost 58-55 to Northern Kentucky last year.

Two Dewayne Rogers free throws gave Kentucky Wesleyan a 63-60 lead with :13 remaining in regulation.

Out of timeouts, Lewis quickly got the ball to Anthony Scala, who bombed one of his career-high six 3-pointers from about 27 feet away with :05 left to send the Flyers into their second overtime game of the season.

Lewis immediately took control in the extra session with a Monta McGhee free throw, two Scala free throws and McGhee's 3-pointer for a 69-63 lead at 3:43.

KWC's Dontae Truitt nailed one of his seven 3-pointers on the Panthers' next possession. After Scala hit a jumper, Bobby Zuerner cut the Flyer lead to 71-69 with his only trey of the afternoon.

Although Craig Schoen scored what became the game-winning 3-pointer with :41 left, the outcome was still in doubt.

After Scala missed a 3-point try from the right corner, the Flyers retained possession following a held ball on the mad scramble for the rebound.

McGhee's 10-foot floater in the lane moments later was off the mark and rebounded by the Panthers' Franklyn Ferguson. Ferguson was fouled and missed both free throws with :02 left, but the Flyers were denied a final desperation shot.

McGhee scored 14 points and Scala tallied 12 (on four 3-pointers) in a first half that featured 11 lead changes and five ties. Truitt countered with 11 points, nine of them coming on 3-pointers, and Schoen had 10, but the Flyers held a 37-35 lead at the break after Scala drilled a trifecta with just :06 to play.

Truitt connected on three more treys to spark a 14-3 KWC run that gave the Panthers their largest lead, 49-40, at the 13:47 mark of the second half.

Lewis turned up the defensive pressure and charged back with a 16-6 spurt that put the Flyers back on top. McGhee scored six points during the run, the final two coming on free throws that made it 56-55 Lewis with 6:41 left.

Wesleyan tied it at 56 and again at 58, then took a 60-58 lead when Zuerner scored an uncontested layup following a Panther offensive rebound. Franklyn Ferguson made one of two free throws with :24 left, setting the stage for Rogers' free throws and Scala's heroic game-tying basket.

McGhee led the Flyers with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Scala scored a career-high 22 points and added five rebounds and four assists, and Hunter posted 10 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Sidney Holmes scored nine points and Sarunas Skadas had seven rebounds.

Truitt led Kentucky Wesleyan with 25 points. Schoen had 18 points and six assists, and Ferguson contributed 10 points and nine rebounds.

KWC was 13 of 23 (.565) and Lewis was 10 of 24 (.417) from 3-point distance. The Flyers committed only nine turnovers, and their 43-35 rebounding edge included 16 offensive boards.

McGhee and Scala represented Lewis on the all-tournament team that also included Truitt (Outstanding Player), Schoen and Southern Indiana's Billy Harris.