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ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The UIndy men's basketball team committed 19 turnovers and allowed Lewis to shoot 53 percent from the floor to drop the decision at Neil Carey Arena, 76-63, on Thursday evening.

The Greyhounds' (17-7, 9-7 GLVC) 19 turnovers were the second-most in a game this season as they dropped their third game in a row. Lewis held onto the ball for just 12 turnovers and finished with a 29-11 edge in points off turnovers.

"I think Lewis just wanted it more than us tonight," head coach Stan Gouard said after the game on 88.7 FM WICR. "When we have some key guys not show up, it's hard to win. The minute we started missing shots, we stopped guarding. We've got to figure it out and I'm going to die trying because I'm a competitive guy and I want these guys to understand what it takes to win."

The Flyers (16-8, 10-6 GLVC) converted 26-of-49 from the floor, while also hitting 20-of-23 free throws. When UIndy was able to get shots it converted at a rate of 51 percent (23-45), including making 8-of-15 three-pointers, but only hit 9-of-14 free throws.

Brennan McElroy led the way with 14 points, eight rebounds and two steals, while James Hollowell had a career-high four blocks to go with 12 points and six rebounds. Reece Cheatham finished with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Avery Harmon was a perfect 3-of-3 behind the arc for nine points and two assists.

Lewis put four in double figures led by 17 each from David Bryant and Ryan Jackson.

"I take my hat's off to Lewis," Gouard said. "It's not about losing, but how we lost. In any loose ball situation, they got to it first and we're not making those kinds of sacrifices as a team right now. We need to take advantage of opportunities like tonight and we didn't."

UIndy entered the game ranked fifth in the first release of NCAA Midwest Regional rankings that determines who makes the NCAA Tournament and could have solidified its resume with a win at eighth-ranked Lewis.

The game was decided in the first half after UIndy took its last lead, 5-4, on two Hollowell free throws with 17:03 to play. Lewis regained the lead on a three-pointer by Bryant to start a 15-0 run that put them up 19-5 with 13:02 to play. The Greyhounds had eight turnovers in the first eight minutes and six during the Flyers' run.

The Greyhounds started to stabilize and pulled within seven, 30-23, on a Daniel Daudu triple with 5:33 to play, but the turnovers didn't stop. Three miscues in a row helped the Flyers string together a 10-0 run to lead by 17, 40-23, before the Hounds closed the gap to 14, 42-28, at halftime.

The Greyhounds' 13 turnovers in the first half was one more than their season average and helped Lewis to a 22-5 advantage in points off turnovers. UIndy did shoot 50 percent from the field (10-20), but Lewis shot 62.5 percent (15-24) and made 9-of-11 free throws.

The deficit never dropped below 12 at any point in the second half as Lewis never allowed UIndy to mount a comeback.

The Greyhounds return to Nicoson Hall for their final two games of the regular season to improve their GLVC Championship seeding and NCAA Tournament resume. The homestand starts Saturday at 3:15 p.m. against No. 13 Wisconsin-Parkside, which is also sitting third in the region rankings. Saturday will be Senior Day for James Hollowell, the Greyhounds' lone senior, and the 2013 inductees to the UIndy Athletics Hall of Fame will be recognized at halftime.