FAYETTE, Iowa – The Lewis University women's basketball team earned a come-from-behind 68-65 victory at Upper Iowa University Saturday (Jan. 6). The Flyers did just enough to win a sloppy game that featured 23 turnovers by the Peacocks and 16 by Lewis.

Senior Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) recorded her 1,000th point as a Flyer in the win, finishing the game with a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) (16), Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) (13), Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) (12), Gugliuzza (11), Cierra McNamee (Moline, Ill.) (11)
Rebounds: Gugliuzza (10), Lily Courier (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) (6)
Assists: Gugliuzza (4), Badali (3)
Steals: Badali (5), Schmidt (3), Tara Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (3)
Blocks: McNamee (1), Gabrielle Hoover (Mishawaka, Ind./La Lumiere) (1)

RECORDS
Lewis 8-5 (7-0 GLVC) | Upper Iowa 6-4 (3-3 GLVC)

SUMMARY
Both offenses started slow, with Upper Iowa missing its first four shots and Lewis missing its first three. Finally, the Peacocks took the lid off and scored the first five points of the game.

Later in the first, back-to-back three-pointers by Schmidt gave the Flyers an 11-10 lead. Upper Iowa would end the quarter on a 7-0 run, however, reclaiming the advantage at 17-13.

A 9-2 charge from the Peacocks to start the second pushed the lead to double digits for the first time at 26-15. Lewis immediately responded with a 12-0 run with five points from Badali, capped by a three from Hilber to move back in front.

Upper Iowa scored the final six points of the first half to take a 32-27 lead at the break. The Peacocks shot 7/11 (.636) in the second frame, but the Flyers forced eight turnovers in the quarter including seven during the 12-0 scoring burst.

Hilber scored on each of Lewis' first three possessions of the second half as the Flyers once again took a one-point lead. Later in the third, four consecutive possessions ended in a turnover before Upper Iowa scored to regain the upper hand.

Another three by Hilber put Lewis ahead, 37-36, with 5:03 left in the third quarter. From there, the teams traded the lead six times in the next three minutes of action.

The Flyers used a 10-0 run with six points from McNamee to take a nine-point lead, and headed to the fourth quarter up 54-45. Lewis went 10/15 (.667) from the field and forced six more turnovers in the third frame.

The Peacocks scored the first two baskets of the final period, but the Flyers then found the gas pedal looking to pull away. A deep ball from Schmidt gave Lewis a 10-point advantage with 5:30 to play, and McNamee added a layup to push the lead to 63-51 on the next possession.

From that point, Upper Iowa fought back with a 7-2 push to cut the deficit to seven with three minutes left. The Peacocks kept coming, burying a three to get to within four with 1:30 to play and tacking on a layup to make it a one-score game in the final minute of regulation.

On the Flyers' next possession, Hilber made a driving layup to make it 67-63 Lewis. From there, the Flyers got a stop, forced Upper Iowa to foul, and ran the clock out with a 68-65 victory.

UP NEXT
Lewis women's basketball stays on the road for a matchup with William Jewell Thursday (Jan. 11) at 5:30 p.m. CT.