LAS VEGAS, NV - Junior Mark Weems (Chicago, Ill.) scored a team-high 14 points and pulled down nine rebounds in the University of Illinois Springfield men's basketball team's 76-63 loss to Lake Superior State Friday evening at the D2 Vegas Showdown.

The Prairie Stars trailed by only four at the break but were outscored 40-31 in the second period as the Lakers shot 46 percent from the floor in the second half. Turnovers hurt the Prairie Stars against the Lakers. LSSU scored 28 points off of turnovers to the Prairie Stars' eight.

The first half was marked by a pair of standouts. Junior-transfer Paxton Harmon (Warsaw, Ill.) was perfect from the field in the first period, knocking down all three of his shots and both his free throws to lead UIS at the break with eight points. For the Lakers, Devin Daly scored 18 first-half points on 8-of-13 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds.

The teams traded buckets in the early going. Back-to-back jumpers by junior Richard Freeman (Indianapolis, Ind.) gave UIS a 14-11 lead at the 15:11 minute-mark. Senior Davi Austin (Newark, NJ) made it six straight points for UIS with a steal and a layup. 

Later in the half, the Lakers eventually fought their way back into the game and used a 6-1 run at the 2:43 minute-mark to take a 34-29 lead. A tip-in in the final minute gave the Lakers a 36-32 lead at the break.

UIS started the second period 0-for-3 from the floor as the Lakers extended their lead to eight, 40-32. After a pair of free throws from senior-transfer Jess Tesmer (Greencastle, Ind.), senior Jamall Millison (Bolingbrook, Ill.) knocked down a three-ball to cut the deficit to three, 40-37. Millison finished with nine points and seven rebounds.

The Prairie Stars got within a point after another pair of free throws from Tesmer at the 17:24 minute-mark and then again, 49-48, after a bucket from Austin. After the teams traded buckets, the Lakers used a 9-0 run to take a 60-50 lead. UIS struggled to score down the stretch as the Lakers stretched their advantage to as many as 16, eventually winning, 76-63.

The Lakers won the battle of the boards 40-37 and shot 44 percent from the floor. UIS shot 40 percent from the floor and was 5-for-15 from downtown.

UIS takes on Findlay tomorrow at 8 p.m. CST in its final game of the D2 Vegas Showdown.