Men's Basketball | 2/27/2016 4:22:00 PM

Lewis Flyers (20-8) vs. UIS (11-17)  ***GLVC FIRST ROUND***
Date	Sunday, February 28
Time	3 PM
Location	Romeoville, Ill. * Neil Carey Arena
Video	GLVC Sports Network
Radio	1340AM WJOL
Live Stats	Lewis Live Stats
Social Media	@LewisMBBall

Game Notes (PDF)

Romeoville, Ill. - The Lewis University men's basketball team will host Illinois Springfield for the second-straight year in a Great Lakes Valley Conference First Round match-up on Sunday (Feb. 28). The Flyers (20-8) and Prairie Stars (11-17) are set to tip-off at 3 PM at Neil Carey Arena.       
   Live stats and video streaming of Sunday'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 an 11-3 advantage over UIS in their all-time series

LAST TIME WE MET - Lewis junior guard Miles Simelton (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) finished with a game-high 33 points and was 17-for-21 from the free throw line, including 15-for-18 from the stripe in the overtime periods, in an 88-80 double overtime win over UIS on January 28, 2016.

LAST TIME OUT -  Lewis was unable to overcome 16 turnovers and 11 UW-Parkside three-pointers, as the No. 18 Rangers claimed the 85-77 victory over the Flyers in the GLVC regular-season finale at Neil Carey Arena on Thursday (Feb. 25) night.

SEEKING 1,000 - Sophomore forward Max Strus (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) needs 12 points to reach the 1,000-point mark.

FOUND 1,000 - Senior forward Kyle Nelson (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) scored his 1,000th career point in a Flyer uniform against Indianapolis on February 18th.

DOUBLE DOUBLES - Lewis has recorded 19 double-doubles in 28 games this season.

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.

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 (20.6 ppg./8.9 rpg./3.6 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 (7.25 drpg.), is averaging a league-best 28.29 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.

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).

HOT SHOOTING - Lewis has shot 50.0% or above in 15 of its 28 games this season.

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, 8.9 rpg), Nelson (9th, 6.5 rpg) and freshman guard Delaney Blaylock (Wyoming, Mich./Godwin Heights) who is 16th with 5.9 rebounds-per-game.

BLOCK PARTY  - 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, 1.61 bpg.) and Strus (14th, 0.79 bpg.) are both in the Top 15 in the conference in blocks per game.

BLOCK PARTY (PART DEUX) - Lewis has recorded a school-record 124 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 71.2% (52-for-73) of his shots this season. That mark would stand as a Lewis single-season record for field goal percentage.

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.

MAGIC NUMBER - Lewis has won 21 straight games when scoring at least 80 points, dating back to last season.

SIMELTON SAYS - Since scoring a season-high 33 points against UIS on January 28th, Simelton is averaging 17.8 points-per-game and shooting 65.2% (15-for-23) from three-point range. Prior to that contest, the Oswego, Ill., native was averaging 9.4 points-per-game and shooting 36.7% from behind the arc.