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ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – A pair of free throws by junior Alyssa Siwek (Palos Heights, Ill./Mother McAuley) and a defensive stop on the final possession lifted No. 8 Lewis women's basketball to an 81-78 victory over Rockhurst on Thursday (Feb. 4) at Neil Carey Arena in a Great Lakes Valley Conference contest.

The Flyers led by nine points with 4:05 remaining in the game before Rockhurst went on a 13-4 run over the next 2:52. The Hawks made three of their 14 3-pointers in the stretch to tie the game at 76 with 1:13 remaining on a jumper by Lauren Meyers.

With the score knotted, Lewis went to All-American senior Mariyah Brawner-Henley (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) on the other end who delivered with a layup. She was fouled on the play but missed her chance for a 3-point play. However, Brawner-Henley grabbed the rebound and went to the line again where she made 1-of-2 to put Lewis up 79-76 with 40 seconds remaining. It was a 79-78 lead when Siwek was fouled and went to the line with eight seconds remaining. The junior calmly sunk both to put the Flyers up three.

Rockhurst called timeout and advanced the ball to the front court, a new rule in NCAA women's basketball this season, needing a 3-pointer to tie the game. The Hawks' Mary Dineen could only get off a highly contested 3-pointer at the buzzer. Brawner-Henley grabbed the rebound, her 14^th of the night, to end the contest.

Henley finished with 29 points and four assists to go with her 14 rebounds. The double-double is the 65th of her career. She now owns second place all-time in NCAA Division II history all to her self for career double-doubles.

"If there is a better player in the country, you'll have to show her to me," Lewis head coach Kristen Gillespie said of Brawner-Henley.

Thursday's win gives Lewis their 16^th consecutive GLVC win. The streak dates back to the end of last season. It also matches the school record for consecutive GLVC wins that last year's squad set. The Flyers have also won 16 consecutive overall games.

Five minutes into the contest it looked like the Flyers might run away with the contest, grabbing a 16-3 lead with a quick 10-0 run. Rockhurst pushed back, thanks to the help of the 3-pointer, to make it a three-point game at 24-21 early in the second quarter. Lewis earned a pair of double-digit leads after the second quarter, but both times Rockhurst used 3-pointers to make the score close again. It set up a dramatic final minute.

Freshman Jessica Kelliher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha North) finished with 22 points. Freshman Kayla Brewer (Milwaukee, Wis./Milwaukee School of Languages) added 12 points.

The Flyers shot 55.7 percent (34-of-61) while Rockhurst finished 14-of-31 from beyond the arc.

"We didn't communicate on the defensive end as well as we needed to tonight," Gillespie said.

Rockhurst falls to 12-8 (5-7 GLVC). Lewis improves to 21-1 (12-0 GLVC). The Flyers welcome William Jewell to Neil Carey Arena on Saturday (Feb. 6) for a 1 p.m. start. It will be Lewis' annual Play 4Kay Fight Against Breast Cancer game. Lewis will wear pink uniforms and raise money for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.