ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Lewis University's women's basketball team held firm at the end with tough defense in its 66-64 win over Southwest Baptist on Saturday afternoon at Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers improve to 12-12, 10-6 GLVC while the Bearcats drop to 14-12, 9-9 GLVC.

Lewis trailed by 11 early in the third quarter but went on a 9-0 run to cut the SBU lead to 40-38 on a layup by Stephanie Hart (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) with 6:37 remaining in the stanza. The Flyers had three chances to tie or take the lead but couldn't capitalize on them. The Bearcats scored 10 of the next 15 points to extend their lead to seven with 2:00 to go in the frame on a three-pointer from Kyleigh Vaught.

Lewis scored the final five points of the quarter to cut the Bearcat lead to 50-48 heading into the final 10 minutes.

SBU stretched its lead to five thanks to an old fashioned three-point play from Nyah Pettus at the start of the final quarter. The Flyers ran off five straight to again get within two but two Vaught free throws but the Bearcats back up four with 7:01 left in the contest.

Hart hit a three on the next possession and then Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) hit a driving layup to give Lewis its first lead of the contest with 6:08 to go.

SBU regained the lead on a jumper by Vaught but the Flyers answered with a layup as Hart got an offensive rebound and scored on the putback.

The Bearcats tied the score as Pettus hit 1-of-2 at the foul line with 3:35 remaining.

Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) gave Lewis the lead right back as she hit a jumper with 2:30 to play. Vaught was fouled on the next possession on a drive to the basket and would hit both free throws to knot the score at 62.

Hilber gave the Flyers the lead right back as she was fouled by Kelsey Blakemore on a drive to the basket and would hit both foul shots with 1:43 left in the contest.

SBU had a chance to retake the lead but Micah Clayton's three-pointer from the top of the key was off the mark and Lily Courier (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) grabbed the rebound.

Hilber extended the lead to four hitting a jumper with less than a minute to play.

The Bearcats got back to within two as Vaught was fouled on a drive to the basket and hit both free throws with 0:46.8 left.

Lewis had a chance to ice the game but Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) missed a three as the shot clock expired and Pettus got the rebound.

SBU had a chance to win the game and called a timeout with 0:12 left to draw up a play. The Flyer defense knocked the ball away and the Bearcats recovered it with six seconds remaining and called their final timeout.

SBU put the ball in the hands of Vaught who drove to the basket but her pull up jumper was off the back rim and Schmidt got the rebound as the horn sounded.

Lewis shot only 37 percent (25-for-67) from the floor, was 7-of-21 from three and shot 69 percent at the foul line. Schmidt and Hilber led the Flyers with 15 points apiece while Hart added 14. Schmidt also added nine rebounds. Lewis forced 13 turnovers in the contest resulting in 11 points.

Vaught led all scorers with 31 points and was joined in double figures by Blakemore with 13 and Pettus added 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Bearcats shot 42 percent, only 32 percent in the second half, from the floor in the contest, were 8-of-16 from three and shot 80 percent at the foul line.

The Flyers play their final home game of the regular season this Monday (Feb. 21) as they host McKendree at 5:30 p.m.