JOPLIN, MO. - The Prairie Stars shot just 29.2 percent from the floor in their 60-42 loss to Missouri Southern Saturday afternoon at the Corn Court.

The University of Illinois Springfield women's basketball team is now 3-2 on the season, dropping its first game since falling to Hillsdale in the season opener back on November 13.

Junior Chelsea Cross (Champaign, Ill.) led the Prairie Stars with 11 points, turning in the only double-digit scoring effort for the visitors. She was 4-for-13 from the floor and grabbed three steals. No Prairie Stars' player shot better than 50 percent except for sophomore Chelsey Witkowiak (Muskego, Wis.) who made her only attempt on the afternoon.

Missouri Southern shot 50 percent from the field on its home floor and dominated on the glass, 39-26.

UIS fell behind early in the first period and trailed 7-2 just three minutes into the game. The Prairie Stars eventually fought back to pull within three, 13-10, after back-to-back three pointers from senior Meredith Marti (Indianapolis, Ind.) and sophomore Shelbi Patterson (Indianapolis, Ind.). A 6-0 run to end the quarter gave the host Lions a 19-10 lead into the first quarter break.

Chelsea Cross converted the first basket of the second period at the 8:50 mark to make the score 19-12. Three minutes later, junior Caroline Kelty (River Forest, Ill.) knocked down a jumper to pull the visitors within four, 19-15. The teams traded buckets until the Lions pushed their lead back to double digits with a 10-1 run. Witkowiak drained a three pointer as time expired in the half to make the score 31-23 in favor of the hosts.

Missouri Southern extended its lead back to double digits with five straight points to open the second half. The Prairie Stars responded with five straight points of their own including an and-one by Cross to keep the deficit at eight, 36-28 with 4:49 left in the period. The momentum completely shifted in the final minutes of the quarter for the Prairie Stars. UIS didn't make another field goal in the quarter and turned the ball over three times as the Lions broke the game open with another 10-1 run to take their biggest lead of the game, 46-29.

The lead grew to as many as 20 in the fourth and final period. The Lions improved to 6-0 with the 60-42 victory.

The Prairie Stars open conference play next weekend on the road against Bellarmine and Southern Indiana.