Box score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- Lewis erased an 18-point deficit, rallying in the final minutes for a 79-76 win over the UIndy men's basketball team in the first round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament at Drury University Saturday afternoon.  The Greyhounds led by as many as nine in the final 4:09, but Lewis scratched its way back to grab the win and will advance to play host Drury Sunday afternoon in the league quarterfinals.

It was a tale of two halves as Indianapolis owned the game in the first stanza. Darius Adams scored the first five Greyhound points and with the help of a 7-0 rebounding advantage early, UIndy raced out to an 11-2 lead.   The Hounds did not let off the gas pedal as DeWann Squires threw down an emphatic one-handed dunk as he drove the lane, helping the Hounds to a 16-6 advantage.   The offensive onslaught continued when Ryan Sims drilled a deep triple for a 23-9 lead, forcing another Lewis timeout.   The efficient UIndy offensive attack produced buckets on nine of its first 13 attempts as the lead continued to grow, stretching as far as 18 at one point. 

The halftime statistics showed just how strong of a 20-minute session it was for UIndy, who took a 47-31 margin into the locker room.  The Hounds hit 67 percent of their shots and went a whopping 10-for-17 from three-point range.  Combine the shooting stats with the rebounding advantage (17-10) with just five turnovers and Indianapolis played one of its most complete halves of basketball in the entire season.

Lewis slowed the momentum in the second half, outscoring UIndy 11-4 out of the gate, getting the lead under double digits for the first time since the opening minutes.   LU would creep all the way back to within a single point at 58-57.  Paul Corsaro, making his first start in a Greyhound uniform, helped lead his team to nine straight points, hitting a triple and a pair of free throws on his way to a career-high 18 points. 

The Flyers continued to whittle away at the lead as the game was slowed by 28 second-half fouls.  LU finally came all the way back with just over two minutes to play, sinking two free throws to knot the score at 71-apiece.  Chris McClellan's layup gave Lewis its first lead of the game, 73-71, with 1:47 showing on the clock.

Two Corsaro offensive rebounds on the next trip kept the possession alive and the sophomore converted on 1-of-2 from the line for a 73-72 game with 1:11 remaining.  The Roncalli High School graduate connected for his fourth triple of the night with 58 seconds left, but UIndy couldn't maintain its lead as two jumpers by Donald Rowe gave Lewis a 77-76 lead with 10 seconds left.

The Hounds ran the floor and Larry Woods was fouled with under five seconds remaining, but missed on both free throw attempts as Lewis clinged to its slim lead.  Dennis Thomas, Jr. hit two free throws and Adams' desparation heave from half-court drew the back of the rim, giving the win to the Flyers.

Adams led the Greyhounds with 25 points, 16 of those coming in the first half.  Corsaro posted his best numbers as a Greyhound with his 18 points and eight rebounds.

UIndy ends its season with a 12-16 overall record.  Lewis will advance to meet host Drury Sunday afternoon in the league tournament's quarterfinal round.