Dec. 10, 2005

Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Lewis made the 10th-ranked NCAA Division II team in the nation earn a Great Lakes Valley Conference men's basketball victory Saturday, holding high-scoring Southern Indiana to its lowest point total of the season in a 60-49 loss to the Screaming Eagles.

Defending GLVC champion Southern Indiana (9-1, 3-1) came in averaging 87 points, while Lewis (5-3, 2-2) brought a solid 67.4 points-per-game scoring defense to the floor. The Flyers forced 16 turnovers, limited USI to 41 percent overall shooting and 17 percent (4-of-24) from 3-point range, and outscored the Eagles 14-4 at the foul line.

John Loeffelholz (5-of-7 shooting) and Pat Monaghan led the Lewis scoring effort with 12 points apiece, and Monaghan added six rebounds. Dustin Warfield tallied nine points (5-of-5 at the foul line), five rebounds (three offensive) and a team-high four assists.

Stephan Bolt secured a team-high seven rebounds and added two blocked shots and two steals, and Branden Hunter collected a game-high three steals.

Southern Indiana jumped to a 16-4 lead midway through the first half, but Lewis refused to throw in the towel.

After Hunter sank a 3-pointer, USI's Mike Harrington answered with a layup to make it 18-7 Eagles with 9:58 left. Those were the last points the hosts would score for almost six minutes, however, and the Flyers capitalized with two Loeffelholz baskets, a bucket by Brandon Dagans and a Ryan Sharp 3-pointer to trim the USI lead to 18-16 at the 4:36 mark.

Southern Indiana outscored Lewis 9-3 to take a 27-19 halftime edge, then after the break extended the run to 14-4 and the margin to 32-20 with 17:24 remaining.

Moments later, Warfield sank three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt, and Monaghan made a basket to put the Flyers down by just seven, 32-25. But Southern Indiana, leading 38-29 with 10:51 left, scored the next seven points and maintained a double-digit cushion the rest of the way.

Melvin Hall led USI with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Marty Wise had 14 points and nine rebounds, Keith Christmas grabbed 10 rebounds and Danny Gibson led all players with nine assists. USI gained a 52-35 rebounding advantage.

Lewis takes a week off for final exams before traveling to Northwood on Saturday for a non-conference game.