SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The Lewis University men's basketball team dropped their Great Lakes Valley Conference opener to Illinois Springfield, 72-66, Saturday.
TEAM RECORDS
Illinois-Springfield (6-1, 1-0 GLVC) | Lewis (3-2, 0-1 GLVC)
LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Jamere Hill (Joliet, Ill./Toledo) (22), Beau Frericks (Cary, Ill./Cary Grove) (15)
Rebounds: Cem Kirciman (Bursa, Turkey/Wisconsin-Green Bay) (7)
Assists: Frericks (2)
Steals: Hill (3)
Blocks: Three tied (1)
SUMMARY
What started as a back and forth game slowly grew into a substantially comfortable lead for Illinois Springfield. Lewis matched the Prairie Stars throughout the first seven minutes of the game as both teams sat with 12 points apiece.
From that point on, Illinois Springfield went on a 13-2 run over the next eight minutes of action. The Flyers tried to stop the run with a timeout at the 6:24 mark but Matt Kennert from UIS canned a 3-pointer to keep the double-digit lead.
Lewis managed to go on a run of its own in the final three minutes of the first half, with a Anthony Sayles Jr. (Evanston, Ill./Norte Dame Prep) three and back-to-back layups from Atakan Sahinkaya (Istanbul, Turkey/Troy State). The Flyers trailed by five (31-26) heading into halftime.
To start the second half, Lewis continued cutting at the lead as they made it a one possession game for the first time since the 10:03 mark in the first half. Illinois Springfield would go on to make its next four of six shots to expand the lead back to nine.
The Flyers upped the intensity and went on a run themselves over the course of the next eight minutes, tying the game at 57-all with 3:27 remaining. During the final stretch, Illinois Springfield would make its one 3-point attempt and sunk all six free throw attempts to seal the win.
In a hard fought effort Lewis shot 26-for-58 from the field and 3-of-15 from behind the arc. Illinois Springfield managed to shoot 26-of-59 from the field and converted five more made 3-pointers than the Flyers.
Both teams committed 13 turnovers but it was the Prairie Stars that had 14 assists to Lewis' seven.
UP NEXT
Lewis will be back in action Monday, Nov. 28 as the Flyers take on Quincy University starting at 7:30 p.m. CT.
