ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Three Prairie Stars scored in double figures led by Davi Austin, but it was not enough as Lewis topped the University of Illinois Springfield men's basketball team, 81-54, on Saturday evening at Neil Carey Arena.
 
Austin (Newark, N.J.) finished with 15 points, while classmates Jamall Millison (Bolingbrook, Ill.) and JJ Cravatta (Streator, Ill.) tallied 12 points each. Austin also topped the team with five rebounds and three steals. Cravatta snapped his three-game skid without a triple and scored four against the Flyers. All of Milison's points came in the first half.
 
In the opening frame, UIS trailed 17-4 before Cravatta hit a triple to spark an 18-8 run that brought the Prairie Stars to within one, 23-22, on a trey from Millison at the 6:15 mark. Lewis regained control of the game with a 12-6 run over the final six minutes of the half to take a 35-28 edge into halftime.
 
The halftime score was as close as the Prairie Stars would get as Lewis opened the second stanza with a 29-4 run that stretched for 10 minutes to five the Flyers their biggest lead of the game, 64-32, at the nine minute mark. From there it was the hosts game to take.
 
For the game, UIS went 19-for-55 from the floor, but had more success from the line missing just three free throws, going 8-for-11.
 
Lewis went 48 percent for the game on 28-for-58 shooting and was nearly perfect from the line missing just one free throw (17-18). The Flyers took advantage inside as they outscored UIS 32-14 in the paint.
 
Max Strus hit a game-best 19 points, while Ryan Jackson chipped in 16. Strus and Julian Lewis each grabbed eight boards as the Flyers held a 38-27 edge off the glass.
 
The Prairie Stars look to win their first game as they return home on Monday, Jan. 19 to face travel partner McKendree. Game time is set for 7 p.m.