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MIDLAND, Mich. – No. 9 Lewis women's basketball cruised to an 85-60 season opening victory over Saginaw Valley State on Friday (Nov. 14) evening in the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge hosted by Northwood University.

The win was eighth-year head coach Lisa Carlsen's 118 career victory with the Flyers, a new program record. She now owns a 118-86 markwith Lewis and passed Brian Michalak's (1993-2002) 117 wins .

Carlsen played 12 Flyers in the contest on Friday, with 10 recording a basket. Junior Jamie Johnson (South Holland, Ill./Marian Catholic) led the Flyers with a game-high 18 points on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc.

Saginaw Valley State's only lead of the game came at 4-3 after the Cardinals scored back-to-back baskets following a 3-pointer by senior Nikki Nellen (New Berlin, Wis./Pius XI) to open the game. Johnson earned her first 3-pointer to make it a 6-4 Lewis lead. It started a 10-0 run for the Flyers. Saginaw Valley State kept the game within 10 points for most of the first half to make it a 37-29 Lewis lead at the break.
 
It was in the second half when the Flyers took control thanks to a 17-0 run from 16:18 to 12:37. Junior Mariyah Brawner-Henley (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) scored 12 of her 13 points in the run. She played only 13 minutes in the entire contest.
 
Senior Kristin Itschner (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) scored 14 points while senior Alexus Grayer (Washington, Ill./Washington) added 12 points off the bench.
 
The Flyers out-shot the Cardinals 51.6 percent (33-of-64) to 34.5 percent (19-of-55). Hailey Krewald led the Cardinals with 16 points. Lewis held a 42-20 points in the paint advantage. All told, Lewis' bench scored 33 points.
 
"We were able to play with a little more sense of urgency on the defensive end in the second half and built a lead," Carlsen said. "It was great to play our entire bench some extended minutes."
 
The Flyers are 1-0. Saginaw Valley State is 0-1. Lewis plays Northwood on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT.