Truman State Game Notes (PDF)

Romeoville, Ill. - The Lewis University men's basketball team opens Great Lakes Valley Conference play on Friday (Jan. 3), as the No. 22 Flyers (8-0, 0-0 GLVC) welcome Truman State (8-1, 1-0 GLVC) to Neil Carey Arena for a 7:30 PM tip-off.
   Live stats, audio and video streaming of Friday's contest can be found at www.LewisFlyers.com and can also be heard on WJOL (1340 AM) with Mark Vasko providing the play-by-play action for the Lewis Sports Network. The game can also be found on WLRA (88.1 FM) with Jesse Hardacre on the call.

ALL TIME SERIES - This is the first meeting between Lewis and Truman State.

LAST TIME OUT - Lewis junior guard Ryan Jackson (Bolingbrook, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield) recorded a double-double of 29 points - including his 1,000th career point - and 10 rebounds as the host Flyers claimed the 89-71 non-conference win over Trinity Christian on Tuesday (Dec. 31).

CONFERENCE OPENERS - Lewis is 2-5 in Great Lakes Valley Conference openers under head coach Scott Trost. The Flyers' last GLVC win to start the season was a 60-45 win over Maryville on December 2, 2010.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING - The Flyers are off to their best start to a season since Lewis went 13-0 to begin the 1988-89 campaign.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING (PART DEUX) - With their win over Trinity Christian on December 31st, the Flyers have their first eight-game winning streak since the 2003-04 campaign. That season, Lewis went 15 games without a loss.

PRESEASON ACCOLADES - Jackson has been selected to both the Sporting News and Division II Bulletin Preseason Honorable Mention All-America Men's Basketball Teams.

TRIPLE THREAT - Jackson led the Flyers in points (22), rebounds (8) and assists (5) against Ferris State on November 20th. That is the fourth time in his career that he has accomplished that feat.

COMEBACK KIDS - Lewis has trailed in the second half in five of its eight victories this season.

CLOSE CALLS - Lewis is 2-0 in games decided by five points or less this season. Last season, the Flyers were 4-4 in games decided by five points or less.

GETTING TO THE LINE - Lewis leads the GLVC and is seventh in the country in free throw shooting (77.6%) as of December 22nd. If the Flyers continue at this pace, it would break the previous single-season, school-record of 77.3% (487-for-630) set in 1995-96.

TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK - Lewis' point guard tandem of Jeff Jarosz (Lyons, Ill./Morton) and Gabe Williams (Chicago, Ill./Farragut) have a combined 43 assists and 15 turnovers in eight games this season for a 2.9-to-1 assist to turnover ratio.

TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK (PART DEUX) - As of December 22nd, Lewis is fourth in the country, committing just 10.3 turnovers-per-game. The Flyers have had three games this season with less than 10 turnovers.

TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK (PART TROIS) - Jarosz (31 assists, 6 turnovers) has a GLVC-best assist/turnover ratio of 5.2-to-1, as of January 2nd. That mark is also the fifth best in the country (as of December 22nd).

TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK (PART QUATRE) - Lewis has gone nine straight games without having a negative assist/turnover ratio as a team.

HE CAN SCORE TOO - Over his last three games, Jarosz is averaging 17.3 points-per-game, shooting 63.6% (21-for-33) from the field and 53.8% (7-for-13) from three-point range.

NATIONALLY RANKED - Lewis entered the NABC Division II Coaches Poll on Tuesday (Dec. 31) ranked 22nd in the country. The Flyers were last nationally ranked at the conclusion of the 2003-04 campaign, where they were 17th in the final poll.

SMOKIN' HOT - Lewis has won 16 of its last 18 contests dating back to the 2012-13 campaign. During that stretch, the Flyers have defeated three teams that were ranked in the NABC/Division II Men's Basketball Poll.

SMOKIN' HOT (PART DEUX) - Four of Lewis' five starters are shooting at least 50.0% for the season, including Jarosz, Julian Lewis (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor), Kyle Nelson (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) and Nick Valla (Tinley Park, Ill./Marist). Nelson leads the team at 63.4%, followed by Lewis (62.5%), Jarosz (61.8%) and Valla (50.0%).

DOUBLE-DOUBLE - Lewis has recorded double-doubles in four consecutive games. The Flyers last achieved that feat in five straight contests to open the 2007-08 campaign.

MODEL OF EFFICIENCY - Lewis took a conference-low 36 shots against Northern Michigan (Nov. 24) and still came away with the 78-68 win. The Flyers shot 63.9% (23-for-36) from the field and 71.1% (27-for-38) from the free throw line.

MODEL OF EFFICIENCY (PART DEUX) - Lewis shot 67.4% (29-for-43) from the field in their win over Malone on Dec. 21st. That is the best outing by a Flyer squad since they converted 69.4% (34-for-49) of their attempts in an 84-65 win over Illinois-Springfield on December 6, 2004. It is also the best shooting performance by any team in the GLVC this season.