Women's Basketball | 11/9/2014 4:47:00 PM

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MILWAUKEE – Senior Jess Reinhart (Normal, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic) made a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining to help clinch a 75-72 win for Lewis women's basketball over Marquette in an exhibition game on Sunday (Nov. 9) afternoon at the Al McGuire Center. The win is Lewis' third over a DI foe this week. The Flyers defeated Loyola on Tuesday and Northern Illinois on Saturday.

"I think each person in that locker room would tell you they haven't played their best individually at every moment this week," Lewis head coach Lisa Carlsen said. "However, collectively we played really well this week. Today it took five people on the floor, all on the same page, staying with it for 40 minutes."

Sunday's contest featured 11 ties and 11 lead changes. Lewis went ahead 58-52 with 9:34 remaining in regulation and forced a Marquette timeout. The Golden Eagles came out of the break with their best push of the game, going on a 15-5 run to grab a four-point lead at 67-63 with 4:25 remaining. There was just enough time left for the Flyers to respond. Reinhart made a jumper at 2:33 to make it a two-point game. Senior Kristin Itschner (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) hit a jumper of her own at 1:58 to tie the game at 69 after Lewis forced a turnover on the other end. Senior Nikki Nellen (New Berlin, Wis./Pius XI) and Reinhart each split a pair of free throws to give Lewis a 71-69 with 1:14 on the clock. Chelsie Butler missed two shots on the other end for Marquette. Lewis gave up an offensive board on the first miss but Itschner dove on the floor and called timeout off the second miss to prevent another Marquette offensive rebound.
 
It was still a two-point game with 20 seconds on the clock when Reinhart grabbed a rebound off a missed layup from Tia Elbert. She pushed the ball to Nellen who found junior Mariyah Brawner-Henley (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) on the other end for a quick layup, putting Lewis up 73-69 with 14 seconds on the clock.

However, it wasn't over yet. The Golden Eagles quickly moved the ball up court and set up Kenisha Bell for a successful 3-pointer. Marquette asked for time but was unable to get the steal as Lewis inbounded the ball to Reinhart. She sunk two from the charity stripe to make it a three-point game. Marquette couldn't connect on a desperation 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

Lewis won despite being outrebounded 57-47. Marquette, boasting four players measuring 6-3 or taller, recorded 32 offensive boards. However Lewis limited the Golden Eagles to 28.9 percent (24-of-83) shooting. Lewis had 17 offensive rebounds and despite the discrepancy actually held a 22-17 edge in second chance points.
 
"We aren't going to see a team like (Marquette) in conference play, from a length and all around athleticism stand point," Carlsen said. "But what a game like this really shows is everyone can be beat in a different way."
 
Reinhart led all scorers with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Alexus Grayer (Washington, Ill./Washington) added 15 points off the bench, including three 3-pointers. Bell led Marquette with 23 points.

The Flyers' bench outscored Marquette's 20-10. Lewis finished 40.3 percent (27-of-67) from the field. Despite the height difference, Marquette only led the points in the paint differential by one (31-30).
 
The Golden Eagles, who won 22 games last season including an 11-5 mark in the BIG EAST, went to the second round of the NIT last season.
 
Lewis now turns their attention to the regular season. Lewis plays Saginaw Valley State on Friday (Nov. 14) to open the season.