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ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Senior Mariyah Brawner-Henley (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) recorded 13 points and a career-high 23 rebounds as No. 9 Lewis women's basketball knocked off No. 6 Drury 54-41 at Neil Carey Arena on Thursday (Jan. 7) in a Great Lakes Valley Conference contest.

The Flyers won the game in-large part to their defense. Lewis limited Drury to 22.4 percent (13-of-58) shooting.

The Lady Panthers made only 4-of-28 attempts in the first half as Lewis jumped out to a 30-16 lead at the break. That total includes 0-of-11 from beyond the arc for Drury in the first 20 minutes. It was the fewest points Drury has scored in a first half since the 2012-13 campaign.
 
"I joked with the team in the locker room that they are in trouble since I now know that they can play defense like that." Lewis head coach Kristen Gillespie said.

The Flyers led wire-to-wire, leading by double-digits for the majority of the game. Drury twice cut the deficit to six points in the fourth quarter, but both times Brawner-Henley followed with a basket for the Flyers to push the lead to three-possessions once again.

The double-double for Brawner-Henley is her 61^st of her career. She is now tied for third all-time in NCAA DII history for career double-doubles.

Freshman Jessica Kelliher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha North) and junior Alyssa Siwek (Palos Heights, Ill./Mother McAuley) each added 10 points.

"We have plenty of games left on the schedule so win or lose tonight, this wasn't going to make our season," Gillespie said. "But it was a great team win and I couldn't be prouder."

Lewis improves to 13-1 (4-0 GLVC). Drury falls to 10-2 (3-1 GLVC). The Flyers are back in action on Saturday in a 1 p.m. tip against Missouri S&T at Neil Carey Arena.