ROMEOVILLE, Ill. -- The Lewis University men's basketball team held off Rockhurst and won, 86-80, Thursday (Feb. 22) at Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers finished with four players scoring in double figures, including Paxton Warden (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) with a career-high 17 points.

TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 14-11, 10-7 GLVC | Rockhurst 12-13, 8-9 GLVC

LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Beau Frericks (Cary, Ill./Cary Grove) (21), Warden (17), Anthony Sayles Jr. (Evanston, Ill./Notre Dame Prep) (14), Rob Stroud (Danville, Ill.) (11)
Rebounds: Warden (9), Frericks (7)
Assists: Gary Solomon (Eastpointe, Mich.) (6)
Steals: Bartosz Kapustka (Poland/Orchard Lake St. Mary's) (2)
Blocks: Kapustka (2)

SUMMARY
Lewis went up 9-3 early behind five points and an assist from Cem Kirciman (Bursa, Turkey/Wisconsin-Green Bay) but Rockhurst responded with six in a row to tie it. Moments later, back-to-back threes by Warden and Frericks gave the Flyers a 17-11 advantage.

Rob Stroud (Danville, Ill.) capped off a 6-0 run by Lewis with an emphatic dunk at the 11:58 mark but the Hawks came right back with a pair of threes to cut its deficit to 24-21. Rockhurst later went on a 12-5 surge to take the lead at 36-33.

Sayles hit a big three-pointer to put the Flyers back up, 38-36, with 3:56 to play in the first half. Another deep ball from Sayles helped Lewis take a slim 43-41 lead into the locker room.

After the Hawks tied the score at 44 early in the second half, the Flyers went on a 9-2 run with two buckets from Solomon to regain the advantage, 53-46. Rockhurst had gotten back to within five when its head coach was called for a technical and Frericks hit both free throws to set the score at 58-51 Lewis.

Just over two minutes later, the Hawks had gotten within two, 60-58, after scoring five unanswered. Sayles connected again from three-point range to stop the run but Rockhurst kept pushing and got the score tied, 65-65, with 6:58 to play.

The Flyers went on a 6-0 run to take the lead back, capped off by a three from Vanderheydt but the Hawks later converted a four-point play to get back within one point, 75-74. Lewis secured the next five points, with a jumper from Stroud pushing the lead back up to 80-74.

Rockhurst made a pair of threes to get within two but Sayles came up clutch again knocking down a triple of his own with 18 seconds left to make it a two-possession game and help the Flyers finish the 86-80 victory.

UP NEXT
Lewis men's basketball will host William Jewell Saturday (Feb. 24) at 3 p.m. CT for Senior Day.