St. Francis (Ill.) Game Notes (PDF)

Romeoville, Ill. - The Lewis University men's basketball team welcomes local rival St. Francis (Ill.) (6-4) to Neil Carey Arena on Saturday (Dec. 8) night. Tip-off for the Flyers (3-2) and Fighting Saints is set for 7:30 PM.
   Live stats, audio and video streaming of Thursday's game can be found at www.LewisFlyers.com. Saturday's contest can also be heard on WJOL (1340 AM) with Mark Vasko providing the play-by-play action for the Lewis Sports Network.

ALL TIME SERIES - Since Lewis entered the Division II ranks, the Flyers hold a 29-8 lead over the Fighting Saints in their all-time series.

LAST TIME OUT - Lewis went on a 29-0 run in the second half on their way to the 83-47 non-conference win over Olivet Nazarene on Thursday (Dec. 6) night. Lewis senior David Bryant (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) led five Flyer players in double-figures with a career-high 21 points, including a career-high five three-pointers.

LAST TIME WE MET -  Lewis senior guard Chris McClellan (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Wheeling) was nearly unstoppable against St. Francis (Ill.), as the Buffalo Grove, Ill., native posted a career-high 27 points on 9-for-10 shooting, including a 6-for-7 performance from long range, to push the visiting Flyers to the 80-66 non-conference win over the Fighting Saints on December 7, 2011.

HONORING HIS BROTHER - Bryant wears the number 12 in honor of his late brother Kevin who played for Lewis head men's basketball coach Scott Trost at Illinois Wesleyan from 2004-06.

IRON MAN - Bryant has played in all 94 possible games for the Flyers in four seasons.

DEFENSIVE CLAMPS - Lewis held Olivet Nazarene to 12 points in the second half on Thursday night, which is the fewest points scored by a Flyer opponent in a half since St. Francis (Ill.) posted two points in the first half of their contest on November 28, 2009.

DEFENSIVE CLAMPS (PART DEUX) - Lewis has held two opponents to under 50 points this season in five games. The Flyers accomplished that feat three times in each of the last two seasons.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE - Lewis has won their last 30 non-conference home contests, dating back to a 59-56 loss to Grand Valley State on November 26, 2005.

MISSED ENCOUNTERS - Both Trost and USF head men's basketball coach John Baines share similar backgrounds. Trost was a head coach at Elmhurst College from 1992-96, while Baines was an assistant coach for the Bluejays from 2000-10. Trost also served as the head coach of Illinois Wesleyan from 2000-2006, while Baines was a four-year letterwinner for the Titans in the mid 1990's.

BULKING UP - Trost's 2012 recruiting class of Paul Baumgart (Canton, Mich./Canton) (6-foot-7), Jared Ellis (Marion, Ill./Marion) (6-foot-8), Brad Foster (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) (6-foot-8), David Heckman (Greenwood, Ind./Roncalli) (6-foot-6) and Kyle Nelson (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) (6-foot-7) all stand at least 6-foot-6.

MOVING UP THE CHARTS - Trost (105-76) needs seven more wins to pass former Lewis head basketball coach and Director of Athletics Paul Ruddy (111-75) for fourth in school-history for career victories.

TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK - As of December 4th, Lewis led the nation in turnovers-per-game, averaging 8.5 miscues-per-contest. The Flyers are also ninth in the country in assist/turnover ratio, averaging 1.53 assists-per-turnover.

BLOCK PARTY - Nelson had five blocked shots against Olivet Nazarene, making him the first Flyer freshman to record that feat since Marty Strus (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) did it twice in 2008-09.

SPREADING THE WEALTH - Lewis has had five players score in double-figures in each of their last two contests.