ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Another big game from Jessica Kelliher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha North) helped the Lewis University women's basketball team take down Great Lakes Valley Conference rival and No. 14 ranked Southern Indiana 72-71 Saturday (Feb. 24) in the final regular season game of the year at Neil Carey Arena.

Kelliher posted 28 points and 12 rebounds to lead Lewis. She shot 13-for-15 (86.7%) from the floor. Rachel Hinders (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) added 15 points and six rebounds, while Gabby Green (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) had 14 points and five boards.

Lewis shot 29-for-57 (50.9%) from the floor, while Southern Indiana was 27-for-56 (48.2%). The Flyers outrebounded the Screaming Eagles 34-25 for the game.

The Flyers got out to a fast start, building a 13-5 lead at the 4:33 mark of the first quarter. After six straight points by USI, the Flyers regained their eight-point lead at the end of the quarter, 19-11.

The lead grew to as many as nine points in the second quarter at 24-15 before the Screaming Eagles came back to tie the game at 32 all with 1:33 left in the half. Lewis scored the final three points of the half to lead 35-32 at the break.

A 10-0 run early in the second half gave USI a 42-37 lead with 6:29 left in the third. But the Flyers were able to come back and regain the lead, 53-50, after three quarters.

It was a back-and-forth fourth quarter as the two teams traded leads before USI tied the game at 64 with 1:51 remaining. Lewis came right back down the court though and scored just six seconds later on a Kelliher layup to regain the lead. The Flyers were able to build the lead on their next possession as a Hinders layup made it 68-64 with 52 seconds remaining. The Screaming Eagles missed a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession and from there Lewis made 4-of-6 free throws to hold on for the win.

It was the Flyers' final home game of the season as seniors Chrissi Ekhomu (Bolingbrook, Ill./Joliet Catholic) and DeKayla Crayton were honored before the game.

The win moves the Flyers to 22-6 overall, 15-3 in the GLVC, while USI goes to 24-3, 16-2 in GLVC. The Flyers advance to the GLVC Tournament, which begins Thursday (March 1) on the campus of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. Game time and opponent will be announced on Sunday.