Men's Basketball | 2/24/2016 10:59:00 AM
Game Notes (PDF)
Romeoville, Ill . - The Lewis University men's basketball team rounds out the regular-season on Thursday (Feb. 25) night, as the Flyers take on No. 18 UW-Parkside (21-4, 14-3 GLVC). Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM at Neil Carey Arena.
  Live stats and video streaming of Thursday's contest can be found at LewisFlyers.com. The game can also be heard on LewisFlyers.com and WJOL (1340 AM) with
Mark Vasko providing the play-by-play action for the Lewis Sports Network.
ALL-TIME SERIES - Since Lewis entered the Division II ranks, the Flyers hold a 37-29 advantage over UW-Parkside in their all-time series. Â
LAST TIME WE MET - UW-Parkside shot 60.0% (15-for-25) from the field and only turned the ball over twice in the second half to surge past Lewis for the 82-70 GLVC victory over the Flyers at DeSimone Gymnasium on January 18, 2016.
LAST TIME OUT -Â Lewis held Saint Joseph's to a 31.3% (21-for-67) shooting performance and forced 13 turnovers as the Flyers claimed the 87-62 GLVC victory over the visiting Pumas on 'Senior Day' at Neil Carey Arena on Saturday (Feb. 20) afternoon.
SEEKING 1,000 - Sophomore forward
Max Strus (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) needs 37 points to reach the 1,000-point mark.
FOUND 1,000 - Senior forward
Kyle Nelson (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) became the 40th men's basketball player to score 1,000+ points on Thursday night.
MAGIC NUMBER - Lewis has won 21 straight games when scoring at least 80 points, dating back to last season.
DOUBLE DOUBLES - Lewis has recorded 18 double-doubles in 27 games this season. That is the most double-doubles by a Flyer team since they had 18 during the 2007-08 campaign. Â
RECORD-BREAKER (AND TYING) - Strus 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.
BEVO FRANCIS AWARD - Strus has been selected to Small College Basketball's Bevo Francis Award watch list. The watch list consists of 50 of the finest players among NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA Division I, NAIA Division II, USCAA and NCCAA.
HOT SHOOTING - Lewis has shot 50.0% or above in 14 of its 27 games this season.
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN - Strus' game-winning shot from three-quarter court to beat UMSL at the buzzer on January 16th was the No. 1 play on ESPN SportsCenter that night.
GETTIN' IT DONE - Strus (20.4 ppg./8.8 rpg./3.7 apg.) currently leads the Flyers in scoring, rebounding and assists. No one in Lewis history has led the team in all three statistical categories.
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).
CRASHING THE BOARDS - Lewis, led by Strus (7.26 drpg.), is averaging a league-best 28.48 defensive rebounds per game.
CRASHING THE GLASS TOO - Lewis has had 10 games of 40 or more rebounds this season, which is the most since the 2003-04 campaign when they had 12.
STILL CRASHING THAT GLASS - Lewis is the only team in the GLVC that has three players ranked in the Top 16 in rebounding in Strus (1st, 8.8 rpg), Nelson (10th, 6.4 rpg) and freshman guard
Delaney Blaylock (Wyoming, Mich./Godwin Heights) who is 16th with 5.9 rebounds-per-game.
BLOCK PARTYÂ - Lewis leads the GLVC in blocked shots, as the Flyers are swatting 4.46 field goal attempts per game. Freshman
Frank Vukaj (Davison, Mich./Davison) (2nd, 1.63 bpg.) and Strus (13th, 0.81 bpg.) are both in the Top 15 in the conference in blocks per game.
BLOCK PARTY (PART DEUX) - Lewis has recorded a school-record 122 blocked shots in 2015-16, breaking the previous record of 117 set last season.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY - Since 2009-10, Lewis, Drury, Southern Indiana and Bellarmine are the only teams in the GLVC to win at least 17 games each season since.
MODEL OF EFFICIENCY - Senior forward
Brad Foster (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) has made 71.8% (51-for-71) of his shots this season. That mark would stand as a Lewis single-season record for field goal percentage.
ALL-AROUND EFFORT - Lewis is 11-1 this season when four or more players score at least 10 points. The Flyers' lone loss came in an 84-70 defeat to Indianapolis (Dec. 5).
CLOSE CALLS - Lewis has had 12 games decided by four points or less, or in overtime, and have a record of 10-2 in those games.
NICE JOB ROOK - Blaylock was named the GLVC Player of the Week for the period ending February 21st, as he everaged 21.5 points in a pair of wins over Indianapolis and Saint Joseph's. He is the first freshman to earn the award since Drury's Drake Patterson took it home in February of 2012.
WHAT'S ON THE DOCKET? - Lewis will host a GLVC First Round game on Sunday (Feb. 28) at 3 PM at Neil Carey Arena against a yet-to-be determined opponent. If the Flyers win, they will clinch the No. 5 seed. The Flyers can also clinch the No. 5 seed with a Quincy loss.
SNAP THAT STREAK - UW-Parkside has won the last five regular-season contests between the Flyers and Rangers.
