LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Kendale McCullum's (Elgin, Ill./Elgin Larkin) jumper with 2.1 seconds left gave Lewis' men's basketball team a 63-62 win over Bellarmine at Knights Hall in Louisville, Ky., on Saturday afternoon. Adam Pischke (Cary, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) scored a game-high 24 points while McCullum added 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

The Flyers, ranked 18th in the D2SIDA Media Poll, 24th in the NABC Coaches Poll and second in the first NCAA Midwest Regional rankings, improve to 21-4 overall and 13-3 in the GLVC. The Knights, ranked ninth in the NABC Coaches Poll, 15th in the D2SIDA Media Poll and first in the first NCAA Midwest Regional rankings, drop to 21-4, 12-4 GLVC.

The second half saw four ties and six lead changes as Bellarmine came back to lead by as many as five with less than eight minutes to play in the contest. The Flyers answered the run with an 11-2 one of their own to grab a four-point lead with 4:20 to play.

CJ Fleming brought the Knights within 52-51 with 4:02 left but the Flyers scored seven of the next nine points to extend their lead to 59-53 with 0:48 to go.

Daniel Ramser hit a layup and was fouled and hit the free throw with 0:31 left to bring Bellarmine within three points. The Knights fouled Pischke with 0:29 remaining and he hit 1-of-2 at the foul line to extend the lead to four.

Tyler Jenkins answered with a layup on the other end to make it 60-58 and Bellarmine fouled McCullum who hit 1-of-2 to make it a three-point game. The Knights came down and got a quick bucket from Adam Eberhard to cut the lead to 61-60 with 0:13 left.

Bellarmine was pressing trying to force a steal and initially knocked the inbounds pass out of bounds but after review the call was overturned and the Knights got it back with 0:12 left. Lewis nearly returned the favor as the inbounds pass was deflected but it went right to Eberhard who found Ramser for a layup with 8.6 seconds to play.

The Flyers used their final timeout to setup the final play. McCullum drove the length of the floor uncontested and pulled up just to the right of the lane and hit a 12-foot jumper to put the Flyers back in front.

Bellarmine had one more chance but Jenkins' heave from half court at the buzzer was short giving Lewis the victory.

Lewis shot 47.8 percent (22-for-46) from the field in the contest, was 6-of-15 from three (40 percent) and shot 65 percent at the foul line. It outrebounded Bellarmine 28-23 in the contest and had 13-9 advantage in points off turnovers and a 9-0 advantage in second chance points. 

The Flyers allowed the Knights only one offensive rebound in the contest.

Lewis led by as many as 15 in the first half but Bellarmine scored the final seven points of the half to make it 29-21 at halftime. The Flyers shot 50 percent (11-for-22) from the field in the frame while holding the Knights to just 30 percent (6-of-20) shooting.

The Flyers continue their four-game roadtrip traveling to Quincy on Thursday (Feb. 28) to take on the Hawks at 7:30 p.m.