LEBANON, Ill. – The Lewis University women's basketball team won, 70-56, at McKendree Thursday (Feb. 29) behind a huge second quarter in which the Flyers outscored the Bearcats, 23-8. With the win, Lewis clinches at least a share of the GLVC regular season championship.

LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) (17), Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) (14), Lily Courier (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) (12), Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (11)
Rebounds: Gugliuzza (8), Badali (7)
Assists: Badali (6)
Steals: Badali (5)
Blocks: Gugliuzza (2)

RECORDS
Lewis 19-8 (18-3 GLVC) | McKendree 19-8 (15-6 GLVC)

SUMMARY
McKendree scored the first basket off the opening tipoff but Lewis would not trail for long. The Flyers used a 7-0 run just a few minutes in to take a 10-4 lead.

The Bearcats charged right back, though, scoring the next 10 points to go ahead, 14-10. Both sides traded baskets from there until McKendree scored the last four points of the first quarter to take a 23-17 lead after 10 minutes.

Both teams scored on their opening possession of the second quarter and then Lewis took off. The Flyers went on a 15-1 run, making six of seven shots during the stretch with seven points from Courier, to grab a 34-26 advantage.

McKendree ended its offensive drought with a three-point shot but Lewis scored six of the last eight points before halftime to take a 40-31 lead into the break. The Flyers went 9/14 (.643) from the field in the second quarter while holding the Bearcats to just 3/13 (.231) in the frame.

Points were hard to come by early in the third, as Lewis started the quarter 2/9 (.222) from the field while McKendree shot 2/8 (.250) over the first four-plus minutes. Courier got the Flyers back in business with a three to bring the lead to 11 (47-36).

It was back-and-forth for the rest of the quarter, with Hilber knocking down a pair of jumpers for Lewis, which took a 54-44 lead into the fourth. In the final frame, Badali hit a three and Hilber followed with a layup to push the Flyers' lead to 59-44.

Later in the fourth, another 5-0 run by Lewis brought the lead to a game-high 18 points, 68-50, with 3:49 to play. McKendree scored six of the last eight points but it was not enough as the Flyers secured the 70-56 victory.

UP NEXT
Lewis women's basketball finishes the regular season Saturday (March 2) at UMSL at 1 p.m. CT. A win would give the Flyers the outright GLVC regular season championship and secure the most GLVC wins in a single season in program history (19), beating the current record set by the 2015-16 team that went 18-0 in conference play.