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PDF Box ScoreSPRINGFIELD, Ill. – No. 2 Lewis women's basketball limited the UIS to 13 points in the second half as the Flyers cruised to a 64-37 victory on Thursday (Feb. 19) evening in a Great Lakes Valley Conference game.
The Flyers used a 27-2 run with three minutes left in the first half to the 7:22 mark of the second half to pull away from the Prairie Stars. Lewis forced 11 UIS turnovers in the stretch. UIS went 1-of-11 from the floor while the Flyers were 13-of-26 in the run. Junior
Mariyah Brawner-Henley (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) scored 10 of Lewis' 27 points.
The Flyers led 25-24 at the break. The 27-2 run erased any concerns Lewis might have had at halftime as the 25-point first half came after scoring a season-low 24 points in the second half on Saturday against Missouri S&T.
In the second half, the Flyers limited UIS to 5-of-19 shooting. The Prairie Stars' first points didn't come until 13 minutes remained in the game.
"Our defense was solid for 40 minutes," Lewis head coach
Lisa Carlsen said. "We weren't shooting the ball very well from the perimeter early. We did a much better job in the second half of getting the ball in the paint."
The game featured only three free throws with Lewis making their one attempt and UIS making their two. It's the fewest free throw attempts for Lewis in a game since the Flyers went 2-for-2 against Drury on March 6, 2010 in the GLVC Tournament. Like Thursday's contest, that game was also played on UIS' home court as the Prairie Stars hosted the GLVC Tournament in 2009-10.
Only four fouls were called on the Flyers in the entire game. Single game records go back to 2006-07 in the GLVC and it's the fewest fouls committed by a team during that span. Lewis' one free throw attempt is only matched by Indianapolis' one attempt Dec. 19, 2010 against Tampa. Indianapolis also made their one attempt.
The 37 points Lewis limited UIS to is the Flyers' best defensive showing since last season when Lewis defeated Rockhurst 72-37.
Senior
Kristin Itschner (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) led Lewis with 14 points. Brawner-Henley scored 13. Senior
Jess Reinhart (Normal, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic) pitched in 10 points. Senior
Angel Brooks (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle) went 3-of-3 for seven points.
UIS falls to 5-19 (1-15 GLVC). Lewis improves to 25-1 (15-1 GLVC). The Flyers return to the court on Saturday (Feb. 21) in a GLVC contest at McKendree.