Jan. 22, 2005

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Lewis produced its best Great Lakes Valley Conference offensive performance of the season at Bellarmine Saturday afternoon, and the result was a 93-87 victory that snapped the Flyers' five-game conference losing streak.

Lewis (7-11, 2-9 GLVC) shot .586 (34 of 58) from the floor overall and .529 (9 of 17) from 3-point range, its highest percentages in a league game this year. The 93 points are the most for Lewis in a conference outing this season and match the season-high 93 scored against Trinity Christian.

Pat Monaghan and Dustin Warfield led a quintet of Flyers who scored in double figures. Monaghan's career-high 17 points, which included 12 in the second half, came on 5-of-6 field-goal shooting (2 of 2 from 3-point range) and a 5-of-5 effort at the foul line. Warfield also scored 17 points with an 8-of-10 shooting effort that included a 3-pointer.

Anthony Scala netted four 3-pointers and scored 16 points, including 10 in the second half, and Steve Turner registered 11 of his 13 points following intermission. DeAndre Williams scored all 11 of his points in the first half and added six assists to his league-leading total.

Bellarmine's quick 10-3 run out of the gate in the second half slashed Lewis' 49-39 halftime lead to 52-49 with 17:25 to play. Although the Knights (7-10, 2-9 GLVC) kept their deficit in single digits, the Flyers steadied the ship and were up nine, 66-57, with 11:22 left.

That's when the toughest test of the game began for Lewis, and first-year head coach Kyle Green's troops passed it with flying colors.

Bellarmine assembled a 13-2 run that gave the hosts a 70-68 edge with 6:57 remaining. The Flyers responded with an 11-2 surge consisting of a Turner free throw, two Warfield layups and consecutive 3-pointers by Scala and Turner, and it was 79-72 Lewis with 3:08 left.

The Knights whittled the Flyer lead to 82-81 with 3-pointers on three successive possessions. Turner's crucial tip-in put Lewis ahead 84-81 before two Bellarmine free throws made it a one-point affair again.

That's when Monaghan took over. The junior transfer, who is averaging 13.3 points since being inserted into the starting lineup three games ago, delivered a conventional 3-point play, a big defensive rebound and four more free throws in the final minute to secure the outcome.

Lewis led the entire first half and was a model of offensive efficiency in the early going. The Flyers scored nine of the first 12 times they had the ball, including their first four possessions when they raced to a 10-2 lead before two minutes had elapsed.

The Lewis lead was 16-4 when Bellarmine embarked on a 14-5 run that cut the margin to 21-18 at the 11:59 mark.

The Flyers, who shot a blistering .645 (20 of 31) in the opening period, weathered the storm and later re-established firm control. A 3-pointer by Warfield, who scored 11 of his 17 points in the first half, capped a 13-2 spurt that gave Lewis its biggest lead of the game, 45-30, before the Flyers settled for a 10-point edge at the break.

Lewis won despite a 42-29 rebounding deficit that included 26 Bellarmine offensive rebounds. Warfield (five rebounds), Turner (four) and Randy Wright (four) led the Flyers on the glass. Scala recorded four assists.

Jason Johnson (20 points, nine rebounds), Matt Pait (16 points, eight assists), Marcus Flynn (15 points, seven rebounds, nine assists) and Nate Sexton (13 rebounds) led Bellarmine.

Lewis begins a three-game homestand Thursday with a 7:30 p.m. game against Indianapolis.