Dec. 8, 2005

Box Score

OWENSBORO, Ky. - A vital part of rebuilding a program is winning games against "name" opponents, especially in conference play.

When such a win occurs on the road, the taste of victory is even sweeter.

Winning at perennial Great Lakes Valley Conference and NCAA Division II powerhouse Kentucky Wesleyan doesn't come easily, but that's exactly what the Lewis University men's basketball team did Thursday night. Despite shooting just 40 percent overall from the floor and 57 percent at the foul line, the Flyers parlayed a 9-of-18 performance from beyond the 3-point arc into a 62-56 triumph.

Branden Hunter (3-of-6), Dustin Warfield (2-of-3), Brandon Dagans (2-of-4) and Pat Monaghan (2-of-5) supplied the treys for Lewis, which improved to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the GLVC. Monaghan and Dagans led the Flyers with 14 points apiece, with Monaghan adding six rebounds and four assists and Dagans chipping in five rebounds.

Warfield tallied 12 points, Hunter scored 10 and Marcus Scott netted eight on 4-of-4 shooting. Lewis earned a 35-33 rebounding edge, led by Stephan Bolt (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North)'s eight boards.

Four lead changes and two ties occurred in the early going before the Flyers turned on the jets. After Antonio Bright, who led all players with 20 points, hit a 3-pointer to give Kentucky Wesleyan (3-2, 2-1) an 11-9 lead, Lewis embarked on a 22-4 run and led 31-15 with 5:01 left in the first half.

Five different players scored for Lewis during the surge, which saw Kentucky Wesleyan stuck on 15 points for almost six minutes. The Flyers nailed four 3-pointers in the outburst including two by Dagans, who scored eight of the 22 points.

Kentucky Wesleyan charged back, however, outscoring Lewis 15-4 down the stretch to pull to within five points, 35-30, at the break. The Panthers quickly scored the first five points of the second half to extend the run to 20-4 and pull even at 35.

But KWC would not regain the lead. With the score knotted at 40, Lewis got a layup from Scott and consecutive 3-pointers from Monaghan to build a 48-41 advantage at the 9:48 mark.

The Flyers would have to survive a couple more Panther challenges, and they passed the tests.

Wesleyan held Lewis scoreless for four minutes but managed just six points in cutting the Flyer lead to 48-47. A Dagans free throw broke the scoring drought and was followed by a Warfield 3-pointer, a Scott layup and another Dagans free throw as Lewis stretched the margin to eight, 55-47, with 2:58 to play.

Three-pointers by Jeremiah Coleman and Bright sliced the Flyer lead to 56-53 and gave KWC hope with :43 remaining. But Lewis found the mark at the foul line in the waning seconds, sinking its last six shots at the stripe to salt away a second straight GLVC win.

The Flyers travel to Evansville, Ind., Saturday to challenge defending GLVC champion Southern Indiana.