SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Five players scored in double figures as the University of Illinois Springfield men's basketball team defeated visiting St. Catharine, 97-94, on Tuesday evening at The Recreation and Athletic Center.

Two players scored 20 or more points along with 10 rebounds led by senior Dylan Sparkman's 23 points and 10 boards. It is his second straight double-double of the season and third of the year. Sophomore Mark Weems (Chicago) also tallied above 20 with 21 points and 10 rebounds with 15 of his points coming from the line. Junior Jamall Millison (Bolingbrook, Ill.) recorded 15 points to take his double figure scoring streak to five. Classmates JJ Cravatta (Streator, Ill.) and Davi Austin (Newark, N.J.) recorded 11 and 10 points respectively.

The Prairie Stars controlled the first half as they jumped out to a 13-4 lead by 16;38. The Patriots hung right with the hosts making it a five-point game, 34-29, with 6:47 left in the first on a lay up from Aison White who finished with 19 points. The visitors got as close as two, 40-38, but UIS expanded its lead on a triple from Cravatta and a lay in from Sparkman to maintain its distance. A final trey from St. Catharine made it a 45-41 game in the hosts favor heading into the break.

In the second half, St. Catharine was firing on all cylinders. The Patriots took their first lead of the game just 43 seconds out of halftime, but could never pull out in front more than one. The teams traded baskets until an 11-3 put UIS back out in front by double digits. The visitors were not going down easy as they chipped away at the lead making it an 88-82 game with less than a minute to play. St. Catharine fouled on each of Illinois Springfield's next possessions and the Prairie Stars were clutch down the stretch from the charity stripe going 7-for-8.

A final three-pointer with two ticks left made it a one-point game, but St. Catharine fouled and Austin stepped to the line to make both his freebies to secure the victory. For the game, UIS was 31-for-39 from the line - just one shy of tying a school record - and set a season-best at a 79 percent clip.

The Prairie Stars shot 45 percent from the floor going 30-for-66, while making just six from long range. St. Catharine shot 50 percent from the floor (35-70), while going 14-for-32 from long range which is a season-best against UIS.

Lorenzo Dewberry recorded 25 points as seven of his field goals came from long range to lead the Patriots five double-figure scorers. Along with White, Vozzola also scored 19 points. Brandon Bobb Jones and Julito Hutchinson added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

UIS is at home for its final game of 2014 on Sunday against former GLVC foe Kentucky Wesleyan. Game time is set for 3 p.m. at TRAC.