Hammond, IN – The Lewis University women's basketball team visited the home of basketball on Monday night and walked away with a non-conference win.

TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 2-1 | Purdue Northwest 2-2

LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (14), Yahaira Bueno (Bolingbrook,IL/Bolingbrook) (12)
Rebounds: Cierra McNamee (Moline, Ill./Illinois Central College) (13)
Assists: Ally Cesarini (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) (4), Bueno (4)
Steals: Cesarini (3)
Blocks: Cierra McNamee (Moline, Ill./Illinois Central College) (4)
 
GAME SUMMARY 
Traveling into the home state of basketball itself, the Flyers stepped onto the floor Monday night ready to play. The Pride scored the first basket of the night off of a layup, in which Gugliuzza responded with one of her own a few seconds later. She would hit another a few minutes later followed by Cesarini getting one to fall as well. Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) would hit Lewis' first three-pointer of the game to give Lewis a seven point lead. Some trips to the line and some more interior buckets would have given Lewis a 17-11 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Pride hit one from beyond the arc to make it 17-14. 

Purdue Northwest would outscore Lewis 13-9 in the second quarter and would head into the locker room leading at halftime. The second quarter would start out with a Badali jumper from the paint to give the Flyers 19. The Pride would begin to close the gap and tie the game at 20 after a Gugliuzza free throw. Purdue Northwest would take the lead off a three and hold it the remainder of the half. Lewis would struggle from beyond the arc the rest of the night as they missed a few threes which would have given them the lead at half. 

A slow start for both teams out of halftime, first basket off the half would come from Purdue Northwest off of a layup after the two minute mark. The Pride would slowly grow their lead but two good free throws from McNamee and a three-pointer from Bueno would take the lead back for Lewis. The Flyers began to build up steam as the third quarter went on and put alot of distance between them and the Pride. Tara Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) would hit a three at the end of the quarter to give Lewis a 45-37 lead heading into the final ten minutes. 

Lewis would slam the door on Purdue Northwest, outscoring the Pride 21-12. Gugliuzza, Taylor, would get a layup to drop giving Lewis a ten point lead with nine minutes remaining in the game, she would get another layup to fall a minute later. Cesarini would turn on the jets in a fast break and grab another two points for Lewis. The Pride were able to get a few baskets, but the Flyers defense was rock solid in the fourth quarter with a few steals and a couple of forced turnovers. Lewis would get their last points of the game off of a Katlyn Allen (Chicago, Ill./College of DuPage) free throw and the clock would hit zero with a 66-49 final score. 


UP NEXT
The Flyers have their first home game of the season on Saturday Nov. 23rd against Hillsdale College.