Box Score  / Upper Iowa Box Score (pdf)

Fayette, Iowa – The No. 18 Lewis University women's basketball team withstood a late run to defeat Upper Iowa, 73-68, on Sunday (Nov. 17) at Dorman Gymnasium.
 
The Flyers improve to 3-0 on the year while the Peacocks fall to 1-2 for the season.
 
Lewis redshirt senior forward Lauren Mead (Wauconda, Ill./Wauconda) led the Flyers with 22 points, six rebounds and two blocks while redshirt sophomore guard Jamie Johnson (South Holland, Ill./Marian Catholic) had 16 points, eight assists and three blocks. Junior guard Nikki Nellen (New Berlin, Wis./Pius XI) matched a career-high nine assists. Sophomore forward Mariyah Brawner-Henley (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) chipped in 13 points and six rebounds while junior guard Kristin Itschner (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) had 10 points.
 
"Lauren (Mead) had a nice ball game tonight," Lewis head women's basketball coach Lisa Carlsen said. "I liked our defensive intensity in the first half especially, but it is never easy on the road."
 
The Flyers took a 36-25 lead into halftime, kicking up their defense to shake off a Peacock seven-point run as the half came to a close. Johnson had 11 points, five assists and two blocked shots while Mead chipped in 10 points and six rebounds to help the Flyer offense.
 
The Peacocks dialed up the intensity to open up the second half on a 6-2 run and cut down the Flyers lead to six points within the first four minutes, 38-32.
 
Lewis came back to push their lead back to 17 points at 58-41, as Brawner-Henley picked up eight points during the 20-9 run.
 
Upper Iowa once again chiseled away the Flyers lead. The Peacocks went on a 26-13 run over nine minutes of action to get within four points at 71-67 at the 1:20 mark when UIU's Whitney Keiffer hit two free throws.
 
Upper Iowa's Keiffer paced the Peacocks with 21 points and two steals while Sam Thrapp chipped in 15 points. The Peacocks' Lauren Buck pulled down 15 rebounds, while scoring eight points and dished out three assists as Carly Pagel had 12 points, four rebounds and two steals.
 
Lewis next heads on the road to Marquette, Mich., take on Northern Michigan on Sunday (Nov. 24), with tip off set for 1 PM ET.