Men's Basketball | 1/13/2016 10:44:00 AM
Game Notes (PDF)
Romeoville, Ill. - The Lewis University men's basketball team heads to St. Louis on Thursday (Jan. 14) night, as the Flyers (10-4, 2-2 GLVC) take on Maryville (7-8, 1-4 GLVC) in a Great Lakes Valley Conference showdown. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 PM at Maryville's Moloney Arena.
  Live stats and video streaming of Thursday's contest - provided by Maryville - can be found at LewisFlyers.com.
ALL-TIME SERIES - Since Lewis entered the Division II ranks, the Saints hold a 3-2 advantage over the Flyers in their all-time series.
LAST TIME WE MET - Maryville, led by a game-high 24 points from senior guard Armon Provo, used a 17-5 run to open the second half and never looked back, as the Saints claimed the 73-62 GLVC victory over No. 21 Lewis on January 10, 2015.
LAST TIME OUT - Lewis freshmen
Delaney Blaylock (Wyoming, Mich./Godwin Heights) and
Frank Vukaj (Davison, Mich./Davison) combined for 45 points and shot 70.8% (17-for-24) from the field as the Flyers held off a late Missouri S&T rally and earned the 84-80 GLVC victory on Saturday afternoon. Blaylock (27 points) and Vukaj (18 points) both recorded season-highs.
DOUBLE DOUBLES - Lewis has recorded 10 double-doubles in 14 games this season. The Flyers totaled five double-doubles for the entire 2014-15 campaign.
DOUBLE DOUBLES (PART DEUX) - Lewis junior guard
Miles Simelton (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) notched a double-double of 17 points and 11 assists against Northwood (Nov. 24). It was the first point/assist double-double by a Flyer since Brandon Dagans had 20 points and 10 assists against Carthage on December 30, 2006.
CRASHING THE GLASS - Lewis has had six games of 40 or more rebounds this season. The Flyers totaled seven 40+ rebound games for the entire 2014-15 campaign.
RECORD-BREAKER (AND TYING) - Lewis sophomore forward
Max Strus (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) broke the Flyer single-game scoring record of 46, with 52 points on 14-for-18 shooting, including an amazing 12-for-14 from three-point range in the 99-95 win over Northwood (Nov. 24). That outing surpasses the previous Lewis record set by John Lucas during the 1969-70 campaign. His 52 points also ties the GLVC single-game record, set by LaVontay Fenderson (UW-Parkside, '09) and Gary Paul (Indianapolis, '88).
RECORD-BREAKER?? - Based on available records, Strus' 12 three-pointers against Northwood is the most trifectas by a Flyer dating back to the 1996-97 campaign. Lewis' 17 three-pointers as a team, are also the most by a Flyer squad since 1996-97.
GIVE THAT MAN AN AWARD (OR TWO) - Strus averaged 38 points and 13 rebounds in victories over Northwood (Nov. 24) and Wayne State (Nov. 28). For his efforts, he was named both the GLVC and USBWA National Player of the Week for the period ending Nov. 29th.
TOURNAMENT TESTED - Lewis is the only team in the Great Lakes Valley Conference that has advanced to the GLVC Quarterfinals in each of the past nine seasons.
GETTIN' IT DONE - Strus (22.1 ppg./8.9 rpg.) currently leads the Flyers in both scoring and rebounding. The last Flyer to lead his team in scoring and rebounding was Monta McGhee (19.1 ppg./8.6 rpg.) in 2003-04.
RANKED SCHMANKED - Lewis has defeated at least one nationally-ranked Division II team in each of the last five seasons - including last season's 70-61 win over then No. 1 ranked Indianapolis.
TOUGH CROWD - Entering the season, Lewis has averaged over 20 wins in the last three years with 62 total victories. That would put them sixth overall among GLVC teams in total wins behind league leader and 2013 National Champion, Drury (80).
HE'S A LEGACY - Strus is the brother of former Flyer standout Marty Strus (2008-12). Marty is Lewis' all-time leader in blocked shots (181).
BLOCK PARTY - Lewis has recorded at least seven blocks in five games this season. The Flyers have not accomplished that since the 2008-09 campaign when they did it five times.
BLOCK PARTY (PART DEUX) - Lewis leads the GLVC in blocked shots, as the Flyers are swatting 4.79 field goal attempts per game. Vukaj (3rd, 1.5 bpg.), redshirt junior
Jared Ellis (Marion, Ill./Marion) (t-7th, 1.0 bpg.) and Strus (12th, 0.86 bpg.) are all in the Top 12 in the conference in blocks per game.
CRASHING THE BOARDS - Lewis, led by Strus (7.29 drpg.) is averaging a league-best 28.43 defensive rebounds per game.
BOUNCING BACK - In the first six games of the season, Blaylock was averaging 5.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Since then - the Michigan native is chipping in 14.1 points and 5.9 caroms per contest.
FRANK WITH THE FLUSH - Vukaj was a perfect 8-for-8 against Missouri S&T, including seven dunks. Of Vukaj's 39 baskets this season, 20 have been dunks. He has been held without a dunk in just four games in 2015-16.
