SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The University of Illinois Springfield men's basketball team snapped a seven-game skid with strong shooting from the outside and ball control as the Prairie Stars overcame McKendree, 67-63, on Monday evening at The Recreation and Athletic Center.

The win moves UIS to 7-8 overall and gives the Stars their first GLVC victory at 1-6. McKendree drops to 8-7 on the year and 1-6 in league play. Illinois Springfield now takes to the road to face off with two division foes in Saint Joseph's and Indianapolis beginning on Thursday.

Junior Jamall Millison (Bolingbrook, Ill.) hit a season-best six triples en route to a game-high 23 points. Classmate JJ Cravatta (Streator, Ill.) continued on his hot streak from outside with a 3-for-8 performance from long range to score 13 points. The duo helped UIS shoot 45 percent from long range - the team's second best performance of the year. Senior Dylan Sparkman (East Peoria, Ill.) joined in double figures with 14 points on 5-for-8 from the floor and a 4-for-5 outing from the line. The big man also tallied five rebounds, four assists and a career-best four blocks.

The Prairie Stars capitalized on McKendree's 21 turnovers, scoring 24 points. UIS controlled the ball, recording only nine miscues for the game. The Stars created opportunities for each other as the team dished out 19 helpers on 24 baskets.

McKendree led for most of the opening half, taking its biggest lead just six minutes into the game, 13-4, on a traditional three-point play from Matt Holmes. Holmes finished with 13 points. UIS went on a 17-3 run over the next six minutes to hold a 21-16 edge with 7:54 to play. Cravatta scored eight of his points in the stretch, while Sparkman tallied six.

After trading baskets a few times, the visitors took control to lead by six with 2:30 left in the first, but back-to-back triples from Millison and Cravatta made it a 29-all game heading into the locker room.

As the second stanza opened, the game saw four more ties, the final one coming at 52-all at 10:10. Millison scored 13 of his 23 points in a two minute span and gave UIS a lead it never relinquished. McKendree cut it to two twice down the stretch, but a pair of free throws from junior Davi Austin (Newark, N.J.) secured the win. Austin finished with six points and six assists.

For Mckendree, Michael Jackson had a team-best 17 points and eight rebounds, while John Murphy had 15 points and six boards. Logan Carson rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.

The Prairie Stars head to Indiana to take on Saint Joseph's on Thursday. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.