KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Lewis' women's basketball team had three players reach double figures in scoring in its 83-75 loss at Truman State on Thursday evening at Pershing Arena in Kirksville, Mo. The Flyers drop to 3-8, 1-2 GLVC while the Bulldogs improve to 7-5, 3-1 GLVC.
Lewis fell behind by six early in the contest before going on a 14-6 run over a span of 4:05 to take its first lead of the game at 18-16 on a three-pointer from
Tara Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) with 2:46 remaining in the opening frame. Truman regained the lead scoring the final six points of the frame to take a 22-18 lead into the second quarter.
The Bulldogs opened the second stanza on an 11-4 run to extend its lead to as many as 11 halfway through the quarter. The Flyers responded with a 14-2 run and retook the lead at 36-35 on a three-pointer by
Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) with 0:08 left in the half. Truman regained the lead on Hannah Belanger's three-point shot at the buzzer to take a 38-36 lead into halftime.
Lewis got back-to-back three's from
Amelia Motz (Canton, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) and Hilber to open the second half to grab its largest lead of the night at 42-38. The Bulldogs countered with a 16-3 run to take a nine-point with 4:11 left in the frame. The Flyers cut the lead to four as
Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) scored six of the team's next eight points. Truman got a layup from Katey Klucking with 0:05 left in the quarter to take a six-point lead into the final quarter.
The Bulldogs stretched their lead to seven early in the final stanza but Lewis wouldn't go away and got as close as two with 0:30 left after Hilber's fourth three of the contest. However, that would be the closest the Flyers got as Truman hit its final six free throws of the contest and Lewis missed its final three attempts from the field.
The Flyers shot 42 percent (29-for-69) from the floor, were 10-of-27 from three and shot 88 percent at the foul line and forced 15 Bulldog turnovers to their four. Hilber led Lewis with a career-high 24 points while Tay. Gugliuzza added 16 points and Motz finished with 15 points. Motz and
Lindsay Harrison (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville) each had six rebounds in the contest.
Stephanie Hart (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) added nine points and three assists.
Truman shot 49 percent (28-for-57) from the field in the contest, was 6-of-20 from beyond the arc and shot 91 percent at the charity stripe. It outrebounded the Flyers 39-23. Belanger led all scorers with 28 points while Ellie Weltha finished with a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds and Klucking finished with 12 points. Belanger and Klucking had five assists apiece for the Bulldogs.
Lewis returns to the court on Saturday (Jan. 8) as it travels to Springfield, Mo., to take on the top ranked Drury Panthers at 1 p.m. at the O'Reilly Family Events Center.
