ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – On day one of the 2024-25 season and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC)/Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Crossover event, the Malone University men's basketball team came up short 78-71 to Lewis University. The Flyers start the year 1-0 and Pioneers 0-1.
 
A combined 71 free throws were a result of physical play throughout and Lewis was able to make better use of attempts at the charity stripe, 78.8% (26-of-33) to 55.3% (21-of-38). The Flyers needed extra points on free throws after going just 2-for-14 from deep. The opponents also outscored Malone 38-20 inside the paint.
 
Newcomer to the program senior Ryan Bartley was hot from the opening tip and helped to get the Pioneers in front, 18-9. Junior Jake Bruns knocked down a shot from deep to get to that mark with 12:20 remaining in the first half.
 
Slowly but surely, the Flyers inched their way closer, but the Pioneers held off their opponents until the waning seconds of the period. Lewis scored four points in the final minute of the first half to go into halftime tied at 40.
 
Another transfer in senior Ed Wright II was the catalyst of the offense early in the second, but both sides struggled to score in the first ten minutes of the half. The Flyers took the advantage from that point on until senior Simon Blair had a steal that led to a foul where his free throw tied the game at 66 with 2:23 to go.
 
The home team had lost their lead, but regained it at 72-68 with less than one minute to go. Senior Tahleik Walker buried two from the free throw line at 36 seconds left to cut the deficit in half, but four consecutive free throw misses with a chance to tie the game led to the eventual downfall in the season opener, 78-71.
 
Bartley recorded a team-high 21 points and was 10-of-11 on free throws. Wright II added 18 points and 11 from Blair were the trio of scorers in double figures. Senior Tre Baumgardner III pulled in five rebounds.
 
It is a quick turnaround for Malone in the showcase event when they face McKendree University on Saturday, November 9 at 1:00 P.M. CST.