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ST. LOUIS – Sophomore Max Strus (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) made a three-quarter court shot at the buzzer to give Lewis men's basketball a 71-68 victory at Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday (Jan. 16) afternoon.

The Flyers were up by three points in the final 30 seconds before UMSL's Andreas Kefalas made a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left. A turnover on the other end gave UMSL a chance for what they thought would be the final possession of the game.

Inbounding the ball near half court with 2.7 seconds left, UMSL's pass toward the post was deflected into the waiting arms of Strus. He wanted no time heaving the ball from the opposite free throw line. His shot banked off the glass and in for one of the most dramatic finishes in program history.

"Maybe once or twice," Lewis head coach Scott Trost said when asked if he has ever won on a shot like that. "I know I have lost on a shot like that before."

Strus finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Freshman Delaney Blaylock (Wyoming, Mich./Godwin Heights) led Lewis with 17 points.

The Flyers led 38-33 at halftime and never trailed in the second half. Neither team held a lead of double-digits in the game.

Lewis limited UMSL to 38.5 percent shooting (25-of-65). The Flyers were 30-of-65 (46.2 percent).

"We need to make free throws down the stretch," Trost said. "But give UMSL a lot of credit. I'm proud of our guys for getting two road wins. That is tough to do."

UMSL falls to 6-10 (0-7 Great Lakes Valley Conference). Lewis improves to 12-4 (4-2 GLVC). The Flyers are back in action on Monday (Jan. 18) at UW-Parkside.