ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The Lewis University women's basketball team fell to top-seeded Drury 71-52 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship Sunday (March 5) at Robert F. Hyland Arena. It was the second straight year the Flyers advanced to the championship game before falling to the Panthers.

LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Stephanie Hart (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) (17), Lily Courier (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) (10), Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) (9), Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) (9)
Rebounds: Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) (7)
Assists: Schmidt (6)
Steals: Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (2)
Blocks: Schmidt (2) 
 
RECORDS
No. 2 Lewis (21-10) | No. 1 Drury (30-1, 20-0)

SUMMARY
Drury jumped out to leads of 9-2 and 15-6 before the Flyers cut the score to four points on free throws by Badali and a three-pointer by Hart to make it 15-11.

The Flyers continued the run, making it a 12-1 run total, taking the lead for the first time at 18-17 after another three-pointer by Hart and a pair of baskets by Courier. A pair of Drury free throws gave it a 19-18 lead after one quarter.

The two teams traded leads throughout the second quarter. Courier opened the scoring to give the Flyers the lead back. Drury scored the next five points and maintained an advantage until a Hilber three-pointer tied the game at 26-26 midway through the quarter.

Hart gave Lewis the lead with the next basket and Gugliuzza finished the half with a three-pointer to give the Flyers a 31-28 advantage at the half.

Hart opened the scoring in the second half with a basket, extending the Lewis lead to five points as it held Drury scoreless for the first 2:36 of the third quarter. 

The Panthers finally got on the board with a layup, but Hilber came back with a three-pointer to extend the lead to 36-30 and another Hart three less than a minute later gave Lewis its largest lead of the game at 39-32 with 6:30 left in the third.

Another Hart basket with 4:34 left gave the Flyers a 41-35 lead, but the Panthers then caught fire, scoring 13 straight points to lead 48-41 with 41 seconds left in the quarter. A Courier basket ahead of the buzzer made it 49-45 Panthers after three.

The Flyers opened the fourth quarter with four straight turnovers and Drury took advantage, building a 59-45 lead before Gugliuzza stopped the run with a jumper. The lead was built to 17 at 66-49 midway through the fourth quarter and the Flyers were unable to get closer than 14 points the rest of the way.

Lewis shot 45.5 percent (20-of-44) from the floor, while Drury was 46.4 percent (26-of-56). Lewis held a 29-27 rebounding edge, but committed 25 turnovers to 11 from the Panthers.

Badali and Hilber were named to the GLVC All-Tournament Team.

UP NEXT
The Flyers await their postseason fate with the NCAA Division II Selection Show at 9:30 p.m. on NCAA.com. Lewis was No. 7 in the most recent regional rankings with the top eight teams advancing to the Midwest Regional.