Women's Basketball | 11/13/2014 2:18:00 PM

Game Notes For Saginaw Valley State (Nov. 14) & Northwood (Nov. 15) Contests (pdf)

Nobody had a preseason like No. 9 Lewis women's basketball's had. Literally, nobody. The Flyers became the first non-DI school to defeat three Division I opponents in exhibitions to open a season. Lewis took down Loyola 83-61, Northern Illinois 60-49 and Marquette 75-72.
 
This was all accomplished before Lewis played a second of a regular season game. The fact the Flyers are in a unique situation is not lost on eighth-year head coach Lisa Carlsen.
 
"I think with any other group, I might be worried they would let those three wins go to their head," Carlsen said. "But this group knows the work that lies ahead."
 
The group Carlsen refers to is led by a core group of seniors and juniors who have combined to win 47 games the last two seasons. Lewis has earned NCAA Tournament bids the past two seasons as well.
 
The Flyers received plenty of accolades last season, including Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year Mariyah Brawner-Henley (Skokie, Ill./Niles North). She averaged a double-double last season of 18.2 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, leading the nation with 23 double-doubles in 29 games. She did all of that as a sophomore. Now as a junior, she looks to take another step.
 
"Mariyah proved herself last season as a scorer and a rebounder," Carlsen said. "Obviously she made a radical jump from her freshman to sophomore year. This year I expect to see her game expand even more and be able to consistently knock down shots from outside the paint."
 
Brawner-Henley wasn't the only Flyer making a huge step last year. Junior Jamie Johnson (South Holland, Ill./Marian Catholic), who missed the entire 2012-13 campaign due to injury, came back in 2013-14 to average 17.3 points per game and earn All-GLVC First Team honors.
 
"Jamie rarely has a bad practice let alone a bad game," Carlsen said. "She brings it all the time."
 
Johnson's injury opened the door for senior guard Nikki Nellen (New Berlin, Wis./Pius XI) to take over at the point in 2012-13. Nellen responded by averaging 4.6 assists per game over the last two years.
 
"Nikki is our most vocal player, by far," Carlsen said. "She likes to be in charge and is a great quarterback on the floor."
 
Nellen taking over at the point also coincided with the Flyers changing their style of play. In 2011-12, Nellen's freshman season, the Flyers averaged 66.8 points and 59.1 shot attempts per game. In 2012-13, with Nellen at the helm the Flyers looked to push the ball at every opportunity. Lewis averaged 70.3 points and 60.2 shot attempts per game that year. When Johnson returned last season, those numbers improved even more, to an average of 78.3 points and 65.2 shots per contest.
 
Nellen and Johnson's success at the guard positions not only allowed Brawner-Henley to blossom offensively last season; they also benefited forward Jess Reinhart (Normal, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic). The senior averaged a career-best 15.4 points per game last season as a junior. She was rewarded with All-GLVC First Team and Daktronics All-Midwest Region Second Team honors for a second straight year.
 
"The biggest reason for our success the last two seasons is the unselfish culture of this team," Calrsen said. "We have a number of players capable of getting 20 a night, but they honestly don't care if they do because they're happy to just win together. Jess is one of those players. She shows her leadership in the trenches."
 
Carlsen is quick to note the unselfish attitude of her players isn't due to coaching. It's just who they are.
 
"I got real lucky with this group," Carlsen said. "They all checked their ego at the door and have been like that since day one on campus. This group turned the culture of the team around and were able to get players who were already here to buy into it."
 
The best example on the team of someone who never looks for the credit in what she does, is senior guard Kristin Itschner (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame). She has started every game the last two seasons and rarely leaves a category empty on the box score. Last season she averaged 9.7 points, while recording 95 rebounds, 34 steals and 25 blocks. She did all that while committing 32 fewer turnovers than the previous season. 
 
"Kristin is just a basketball player," Carlsen said. "That is the best compliment I could give her. She is one of those players who always finds themself in the right position to make the play."
 
Itschner rounds out an experienced core group. All told, the Flyers return 93 percent of their scoring from last season. With so much the same as last year, what is different? Carlsen points to the return of senior Alexus Grayer (Washington, Ill./Washington) to the court. Grayer missed last season due to an injury. She will be a scorer off the bench for the Flyers. She features one of the prettiest jump shots in the league.
 
"Having Lexi back will make a huge difference," Carlsen said. "She has never looked better. She provides really good depth in the backcourt."
 
Also look for sophomore Alex Poole (Milwaukee, Wis./Menomonee Falls) to be one of the first Flyers off the bench. Poole grabbed eight rebounds against Loyola in Lewis' win over the Ramblers.
 
The Flyers hope to take the next step this season and make it out of regionals. Lewis defeated Missouri-St. Louis in the opening round last season only to lose to Wayne State (Mich.) the following day. To make it out of the Midwest Regional Lewis will need to win three straight games against quality opponents. Something the Flyers have already accomplished, even before the first regular season game.