ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The Lewis University women's basketball team won a back-and-forth matchup against Missouri-St. Louis, 70-66, Saturday (Jan. 20) at Neil Carey Arena. It was the Flyers' fifth consecutive game decided by five points or fewer, and eighth such game in GLVC play.

LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) (23), Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) (13), Lily Courier (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) (8), Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) (8)
Rebounds: Badali (4), Schmidt (4)
Assists: Badali (5), Gabrielle Hoover (Mishawaka, Ind./La Lumiere) (3)
Steals: Badali (2), Schmidt (2), Hoover (2)

RECORDS
Lewis 10-7 (9-2 GLVC) | UMSL 7-10 (5-6 GLVC)

SUMMARY
Lewis won the opening tip and Hilber sank a jump shot for the first basket. Badali then scored seven of the Flyers' next nine points before assisting on another jumper from Hilber that gave Lewis a 13-7 lead.

UMSL went on a quick 5-0 run to get within one, but the Flyer offense stayed hot, going 10/16 (.625) in the first quarter. Lewis led, 22-16, after the first 10 minutes.

The Tritons scored the first six points of the second frame to tie it at 22, and took its first lead of the game with a pair of free throws to make it 26-24 at the 6:27 mark. The Flyers answered with a 7-0 run with baskets by Hilber, Badali and Cierra McNamee (Moline, Ill.) to regain the advantage.

Both sides went back-and-forth from that point through halftime, with UMSL hitting a big three-pointer in the final minute to cut Lewis' lead to one point, 36-35, at the break. The Tritons shot 6/11 (.545) from the field in the second quarter and went 6/7 (.857) at the free-throw line.

UMSL hit another deep ball to open the third quarter, kicking off a 9-4 push over the first five minutes of the frame. The Tritons held the Flyers to 2/8 shooting during the run, which opened up a four point lead for UMSL at 44-40.

Both offenses finished the quarter strong, scoring 10 points each the rest of the way. Three-point shooting was big for both sides, with the Tritons going 3/5 and Lewis shooting 2/3 from beyond the arc in the period.

It was a slow start on offense in the fourth quarter, with a free throw by McNamee representing the only point scored in the first two minutes. Later in the final frame, Schmidt hit a huge three to bring the Flyers within two points at 60-58.

Lewis was later able to tie the game at 64 after tough layups by Ally Cessarini and Courier with 2:53 to play. After both teams traded turnovers, Badali hit a huge three to put Lewis up 67-64 with just under a minute remaining.

UMSL made two free throws on its next possession. After Badali went 1/2 at the line for the Flyers, Lewis' defense got a key stop and Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) hit two free throws to make it a four point game at 70-66 with just two seconds remaining to seal the victory.

Badali's 23 points in the game set a new career high, besting her previous best of 22 points, which she had hit twice including Jan. 11 this season against William Jewell.

UP NEXT
Lewis women's basketball will host Indianapolis next Saturday (Jan. 27) at 1 p.m. CT for Alumni Day at Neil Carey Arena.