SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The University of Illinois Springfield women's basketball team travels to Wisconsin-Parkside and No. 2 Lewis this weekend to continue conference play. Game times are set for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m., respectively.

Quick Hits
•    The Prairie Stars are 5-7 after snapping their four-game skid last Saturday against Truman State.
•    It was the team's first GLVC win since February 15, 2014 against William Jewell.
•    UIS is the top-ranked scoring defense in the GLVC (58.5 ppg) followed closely by UWP (58.7).
•    Last season these teams split the season series. The home team was victorious in each game.
•    Four players scored in double-figures for UIS against Truman State, the most in any game this season.

News and Notes

Top of the Conference
The Prairie Stars rank in the top of the conference several defensive categories. UIS currenlty ranks first in scoring defense (58.5 ppg), first in field goal defense (35.2 percent), second in three-point defense (27.9 percent) and fourth in blocked shots per game (42).

Welcome Back
Caroline Kelty, Jameeshia Armstrong and Makeba Elliot are back in action after the trio missed the team's last five games in 2014.

Hold Onto That Ball Petey!
In five wins this season the Prairie Stars average 15.6 turnovers per game. In seven losses, the team has turned the ball over 19 times per game. UIS limited its turnovers to just 13 against Truman State and is 2-1 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent

Stepping Up to the Plate
Senior Courtney Knuckles is averaging 9.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in her second season at UIS. Last year, the Poplar Bluff native averaged just 6.2 points and 1.9 rebounds. She has scored in double figures in six of the last nine games including a career-high 24 points against Robert Morris Peoria on December 10.

Owning the Glass
UIS ranks third in the GLVC in rebounding (42.1 rpg) and is tied for third in rebounding margin (+6.9) with UW-Parkside. The Prairie Stars are 5-3 this season when they outrebound their opponent. Syerra Cunningham (4th) and Jessica Warren rank in the top 15 of the GLVC in rebounding.

The Opponents

UW-Parkside (Division II Era): Parkside Leads Series 6-1
This is the eighth meeting between these two teams since UIS joined Division II. The last time these two teams played, the Rangers defeated UIS, 68-52. The Prairie Stars won 60-56 earlier in the season.

This Season:
The Rangers are 10-4 and 3-2 in GLVC play this season with wins against Quincy and Maryville. Senior Gaby Bronson leads the team in points (14.6), rebounds (5.9) and assists (5.4).

Lewis (Division II Era): Lewis Leads Series 6-1
This is the eighth meeting between these two teams since UIS joined Division II. Last season, the Flyers swept the season series. The last time these two teams met, the game went to overtime as Lewis narrowly defeated UIS, 82-77.

This Season:
The Flyers are 15-0 and 5-0 in the GLVC, one of only four unbeaten teams left in Division II. Their average margin of victory in conference games this season is 19.4 points. The team currently sports the two top scorers in the league in Jamie Johnson (20.1) and Mariyah Brawner-Henley (18.3). Brawner-Henley leads the conference in rebounding at 13.3 per game, good for third in the nation.