ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Lewis men's basketball team dropped a hard fought battle 83-81 on a tip-in at the buzzer by Nolan Berry on Thursday evening in St. Louis, Mo. Adam Pischke (Cary, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) led four Flyers in double figures with 22 points but it wouldn't be enough as they fall to 11-13, 6-8 GLVC.

Lewis trailed by as many as six points in the opening half but went on a 19-8 run over the final 6:49 to take a 42-37 lead into the intermission. The Flyers shot 46 percent in the opening and was 6-for-12 from the three-point line.

Eight different players scored for the Lewis in the opening half led by Delaney Blaylock (Wyoming, Mich./Godwin Heights) with 10 points while Cristen Wilson (Cleveland, Ohio/John Hay) added seven. Pischke, Marco Pettinato (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) and Donovan Oliver (Kewanee, Ill./Kewanee) contributed six points each.

Most of the Saints (17-6, 9-5 GLVC) damage in the opening half was done by Casey Teson, Robin Thompson and Grant Sims. The trio combined to score 34 of Maryville's 37 points.

The Flyers forced eight turnovers and turned those into 12 points in the first 20 minutes. They also had a 13-to-4 edge in second chance points and 11-to-9 in points off the bench.

The Saints shot 50 percent (14-for-28) from the field, was 5-of-14 from three and shot 50 percent at the foul line. They outrebounded Lewis 20-to-17 but were unable to overcome the eight turnovers.

Maryville opened the second half scoring nine of the first 12 points to regain the lead at 46-45 after a jumper by Berry with 16:40 left in the contest. The Flyers answered back with an 8-2 run of their own to take a five-point lead on a bucket from Delaney Blaylock (Wyoming, Mich./Godwin Heights).

The lead would grow to seven but the Saints fought back with an 11-3 run to regain the lead at 64-63 on a three-pointer by Forrester Sims just past the halfway point of the second half. Lewis answered right back scoring 10 of the next 15 points to retake the lead at 73-69.

Maryville countered with eight straight points to take a 77-73 lead after a three-pointer from Teson with 3:17 to play. Pischke sandwiched a pair of three's around two Berry free throws to tie the game at 79 with 2:15 left.

Berry then put the Saints back in front with a jumper with less than two minutes to play but Wilson put back a miss from Pischke to even the score at 81 with 1:34 remaining. Sims missed a jumper after a timeout and Blaylock got the rebound.

Lewis had a chance to retake the lead but Pischke's jumper from the top of the key was short and Thompson got the rebound allowing Maryville to hold for the final shot. Sims drove in and his pull up jumper was no good but Berry was able to get a hand on it and put it in just before the buzzer sounded.

The Flyers shot 50 percent (32-for-64) for the game, were 11-of-24 from three and shot 67 percent at the foul line. They forced 13 turnovers in the contest and turned those into 20 points. Pischke led all scorers and was joined in double figures by Wilson with 15, Blaylock added 14 and Oliver finished with 10.

After being held to just three points in the first half, Berry dominated in the second half scoring 18 of his 21 points to lead the Saints. Thompson added 0 while Teson finished with 16. Maryville shot 54 percent (32-for-59) from the field, was also 11-of-24 from three and also shot 67 percent at the foul line. It outrebounded the Flyers 37-to-28.

Lewis is back at home on Saturday hosting Wisconsin-Parkside at 3 p.m.