Feb. 21, 2009

Box Score

Lewis 69, Kentucky Wesleyan 60 in PDF Format

Romeoville, Ill. - Lewis University senior guard Brandon Dagans (Harvey, Ill./Thornton) scored 19 of his game-high 25 points in the second half, to help the host Flyers clinch a berth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament with the 69-60 victory on `Senior Day' at Neil Carey Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Dagans was 10-for-15 from the floor and added three steals on the afternoon.

"Dago had the attitude where he refused to let us lose," Lewis head men's basketball coach Scott Trost said of Dagans. "He hit some big shots in his last game at home. Brandon really stepped up, took it upon his shoulders and said `I'm not going to let this team lose'."

With the victory, Lewis improves to 15-10 overall and 9-7 in GLVC play, while the Panthers drop to 17-7 on the campaign and 10-7 in conference action.

Flyers' sophomore guard Dennis Thomas (Milwaukee, Wis./Bradley Tech) posted 15 points and four assists, but the Milwaukee, Wis., native did most of his damage on the defensive end, collecting a team-best three steals. Thomas held KWC leading scorer T.J. Smith to 12 points on 4-for-12 shooting with eight turnovers.

"He's a first-team all-conference selection and is as good as any guard that you'll see," Trost said of Smith. "Dennis did a good job on him (defensively) and probably as good a job that's been done on him all year."

One of Thomas' steals highlighted a 12-0 Lewis run, as KWC head men's basketball coach Todd Lee asked for a time-out that was not granted. Smith dropped the ball, and Thomas picked it up and went coast-to-coast for the lay-up.

Lee was whistled for a technical foul and Dagans knocked down both free throw attempts to cap off the 12-0 run and giving the Flyers an eight-point lead that they would not relinquish.

Lewis shot 55.6% (25-for-45) from the field and 68.8% (22-for-32) from inside the three-point arc. The Flyers won despite being out-rebounded 31-19 on the afternoon, but more than made up from it on the defensive end, forcing 21 Panthers' turnovers.

"We were fortunate to win in spite of the rebounding difference," Trost said. "We forced 21 turnovers and that helped. Today was a good win against a good team that's capable of beating anybody."

KWC senior guard Trey Harris led the Panthers with 15 points, while classmate Lorenzo Taylor chipped in 14 points in the loss.

Lewis returns to action on Thursday (Feb. 26) night, as the Flyers travel to Kenosha to square off with UW-Parkside for at 7:45 p.m. tip-off.

A Catholic university sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis offers nearly 80 undergraduate majors and programs of study, accelerated degree completion options for working adults, various aviation programs and 22 graduate programs in nine fields. The 10th largest private, not-for-profit university in Illinois is being honored for the fifth consecutive year by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. For more information please visit www.lewisu.edu.

##LEWIS##