ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The University of Illinois Springfield men's basketball team started off strong at Lindenwood, but could not keep all engines running as the hosts won, 72-63, on Wednesday evening at Hyland Arena.

The 63 points are the lowest UIS has scored this season as the Prairie Stars move to 3-1 in the early part of the season. After a three-game road swing, UIS now heads back home for December where it hosts four straight games to close out non-conference play.

Junior Jamall Millison (Bolingbrook, Ill.) once again led the team in scoring with 19 points. Millison recorded 18 on Monday at Lincoln. The guard was 7-for-12 from the floor including three triples, while hitting both free throws attempted. Senior Dylan Sparkman (East Peoria, Ill.) was the only other player in double figures as the big-man scored 12 points with six coming from the line.

The Prairie Stars opened the game on a 13-6 run to take its biggest lead of the game 15 minutes into the contest. The host team repsonded with a run of their own, 21-8, to take a 24-19 lead by the 8:03 mark on the clock. Millison closed the gap to three with a trey and UIS got that close again minutes later on a pair of free throws from Davi Austin (Newark, N.J.), but Lindenwood held on to the lead to take a 39-35 lead into the halftime.

UIS quickly closed the gap in the second half to one thanks to a jumper from Sparkman and a triple from Dusko Despot (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) early in the frame. The momentum then shifted to the home team as a jumper from Cory Arentsen sparked an 8-0 run that spanned more than five minutes.

The game went back and forth, but UIS was unable to overcome the deficit. A pair of makes at the line from sophomore Mark Weems (Chicago) brought the Prairie Stars to within, 62-54, with 4:27 remaining, but the Lions held the visitors to just two field goals for the remainder of the game as they went on to take the game.

Lindenwood held a 32-25 edge off the glass leading to 10 second chance points, while UIS was only able to put back two. The Lions went 24-for-51 from the floor for a 47 percent clip. UIS was 21-for-45 shooting (46 percent), but struggled from outside the arc, making just six three-pointers.

Darris Smith recorded a game-high 22 points, while Garrett Reeg and Arentsen scored 17 and 10 respectively. Reeg missed a double-double by one rebound as he grabbed a game-best nine boards.

Illinois Springfield now takes a break until Monday, Dec. 1 when the Prairie Stars face off with Lincoln for the second time in a week. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at TRAC.