JEFFERSON CITY,  Mo. - Sophmore Syerra Cunningham (Beach Park, Ill.) scored a career-high 15 points on Saturday, but the University of Illinois Springfield women's basketball lost to Lincoln University, 72-47, at Jason Gymnasium.

The Prairie Stars' three-game winning streak came to an end against the Tigers. Cunningham led the way for the visitors with 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting and seven rebounds. Senior Courtney Knuckles (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) added 14 points and a career-high nine rebounds.

The teams traded baskets in the early going as the score was tied, 6-6, four-and-a-half minutes into the game. Cunningham scored the first six points for the Prairie Stars. Seven straight points by Lincoln, part of a 19-4 run over the next eight minutes put the hosts ahead 25-10 at the seven minute mark. Later in the half, UIS cut the deficit to seven with an 8-0 run to make the score 27-20 with four minutes to go. Cunningham and Knuckles scored all eight points in the run.

The Prairie Stars failed to score in the rest of the period as Lincoln took a 35-20 lead into halftime. 13 turnovers hurt UIS in the first half. The team committed 25 in the game leading to 24 Lincoln points.

In the second stanza, the Tigers stretched their lead to as many as 28 points with seven minutes left in the game. Six players scored at least seven points for Lincoln as the hosts shot 50 percent in the second half on the way to a 72-47 victory.

Junior Jessica Warren (University Park, Ill.) finished with four points, five rebounds and a career-high three blocks for UIS.

The Prairie Stars wrap up 2014 on December 21 with an exhibition against Division Southeast Missouri State.