Game Notes (pdf)
Romeoville, Ill. - The Lewis University women's basketball team rings in 2014 by opening up Great Lakes Valley Conference play on Friday (Jan. 3) when the Flyers host Truman State at Neil Carey Arena. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM.
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 contest will also be broadcast on WLRA (88.1 FM) with Jesse Hardacre on the call.
SERIES RECORD – This marks the first-ever meeting between GLVC-newcomer Truman State and Lewis.
LAST TIME ON THE COURT – Sophomore Mariyah Brawner-Henley (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) matched a career-high 17 rebounds and added 15 points for her seventh double-double of the season as the Flyers defeated Lincoln Memorial, 77-65, on Dec. 19, 2013 at Neil Carey Arena.
DOUBLE-TROUBLE – Jess Reinhart (Normal, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic) and Brawner-Henley's double-doubles on Dec. 7th marked the first time since the 2010 season that the Flyers had two players post double-doubles in the same game. Reinhart tallied 30 points and 13 rebounds while Brawner-Henley collected 31 points and 17 rebounds. Jenny Turpel posted 24 points and 10 rebounds while teammate Lory Shaw scored 16 points and had 12 rebounds in the 75-70 loss to Saginaw Valley on Nov. 12, 2010.
HOME SWEET HOME – Lewis is a perfect 5-0 at home to start this season and has a 16-game home winning streak going at Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers carry over 11-straight victories at home after opening the 2012-13 home slate with an 84-77 loss to Central Missouri (Nov. 24).
LEADING THE GLVC – Brawner-Henley leads the GLVC in rebounds (12.9 rpg) and in scoring (20.3 ppg) and second in blocked shots (2.3 bpg). She also paces the conference with seven double-doubles. Across NCAA Division II, Brawner-Henley ranks third in rebounds, 19th in blocked shots and 26th in scoring. She is also tied as No. 2 in the country with seven double-doubles this season.
SHARING THE ROCK – All three of the Flyers starting guards are in the top-10 in the GLVC in assists. Junior Nikki Nellen (New Berlin, Wis./Pius XI) leads the conference in assists and is No. 14 nationally, dishing out 5.8 assists-per-game while redshirt sophomore Jamie Johnson (South Holland, Ill./Marian Catholic) and junior Kristin Itschner (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) are tied for fourth averaging 4.5 assists-per-game.
AMONG THE CONFERENCE - Lewis tops the GLVC in blocked shots, averaging 5.6 blocks-per-game which puts them eighth nationally, and is second in assists, dishing out 18.8 assists-per-game.
SOPHOMORE SHINING BRIGHT – Brawner-Henley is the first Flyer to average a double-double since Julie Fruendt completed the 1983-84 season averaging 18.9 points and 10.1 rebounds.
GLVC WEEKLY HONORS - Brawner-Henley has twice been named GLVC Women's Basketball Player of the Week by the conference this season. She most recently picked up the honors on Dec. 9th after she averaged 25.5 points, 16.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocked shots in victories against St. Francis (Ill.) and Purdue Calumet. She picked up her first award on Nov. 11 to start the season.
OPENING THE GLVC UNDER CARLSEN - The Flyers are a perfect 6-0 in Great Lakes Valley Conference openers under the guidance of head coach Lisa Carlsen. She also holds a 36-19 (.645) record against GLVC opponents at Neil Carey Arena in six seasons.
PREP TEAMMATES - Truman State's Allie Norton and Reinhart were high school teammates at Bloomington (Ill.) Central Catholic. The duo helped the squad to notch back-to-back 32-1 record seasons and Illinois High School Association Championship appearances. Bloomington Central Catholic won the 2A title in 2009-10 and were the runners-up in 2010-11.
Truman State's Megan Walsh and Johnson were also teammates in high school at Marian Catholic. Walsh is also the younger sister of Lewis men's volleyball sophomore middle blocker Bobby Walsh.
