Box Score  / Box Score

Romeoville, Ill. – Led by senior Sam Rinehart (Marion, Iowa/Marion)'s (Marion, Iowa/Marion) career-high 22 points and 11 rebounds, the Lewis University women's basketball team defeated No. 23 Southern Indiana, 71-69, in Great Lakes Valley Conference action on Saturday (Jan. 26) at Neil Carey Arena.
 
The Flyers improve to 14-3 on the year and 7-2 in the GLVC while the Eagles fall to 13-4 on the season and 5-4 in conference play.
 
“We just beat a really good team in Southern Indiana,” Lewis head women's basketball coach Lisa Carlsen said. “We knew today's game was going to be a battle.”
 
The first half was a defensive battle that saw the fifth tie of the half at 23-all with 7:04 left in the period. USI went on a 9-7 run to close out the first half, holding Lewis to only seven made free throws during the time. Rinehart hit all four of her free throws while Sophie Lichte (Reedsburg, Wis./Reedsburg) (Reedsburg, Wis./Reedsburg) made two and Kristin Itschner (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) sank one.
 
The squads battled for momentum in the second half as neither team was able to build more than a three-point lead before relinquishing their lead.
 
Rinehart hit two more of her 10 made free throws of the game to extend the Flyers lead to 53-48 at the 8:43 mark. Lewis then went on a 13-6 run to go up by 11 at 66-55 on a jumper by freshman Alyssa Dengler (Chicago, Ill./Trinity) (Chicago, Ill./Trinity) at 4:56.
 
USI chipped at Lewis' lead, getting it down to one point, 70-69, with seven seconds left in the game on a layup by Anna Hackert. Rinehart hit one of two free throws and tough Flyer defense sealed the 71-69 victory.

"Sam refused to let us lose," Carlsen said. "She was able to take over the game and hit some big shots for us down the stretch."
 
Senior Labrenthia Murdock (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake) (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake) chipped in 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.
 
Hackert's 19 points and 11 rebounds led USI while Ariel Barnes scored 18 points.
 
Lewis is back on the road for their next GLVC contest when the team heads to Indianapolis, Ind., to take on No. 15 University of Indianapolis on Thursday (Jan. 31) at 5:30 PM ET.