SPRINGFIELD, IL - With the score tied at 47 heading into the fourth quarter, the Prairie Stars outscored Greenville 29-19 in the final period to win, 76-66, Tuesday evening at the Recreation and Athletic Center.

The win snaps a three-game losing streak for the University of Illinois Springfield women's basketball team. UIS is now 4-4 on the season.

Greenville held a 52-51 lead with eight minutes left in the game. At this point it was still anybody's game as UIS struggled to hold a lead. In total there were 11 ties and 18 lead changes. Senior Meredith Marti (Indianapolis, Ind.) stepped up to the challenge and knocked down a three to give UIS the lead. After the Panthers tied the game, 54-54, Marti came around a screen and knocked down another three pointer to make the score 57-54. After a stop at the other end, senior Morgan Knorr (Savannah, Mo.) connected on a three of her own to give UIS a six-point advantage with 6:27 left in the game. 

UIS never trailed again but the Panthers didn't go away.The visitors cut the lead to just two points, 64-62, at the 3:47 minute mark. After a free throw from junior Syerra Cunningham (Beach Park, Ill.), junior Caroline Kelty (River Forest, Ill.) knocked down arguably the biggest shot of the game to give the Prairie Stars a 68-62 lead with 2:24 to go in the game. Kelty finished 2-for-2 from behind the arc and picked up her first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Kelty's three kick started an 11-2 run for the hosts as the Prairie Stars went on to win, 76-66. Five UIS players scored in double figures led by sophomore Shelbi Patterson (Indianapolis, Ind.) with 16. Marti and fellow senior Ashley McHenry (Milwaukee, Wis.) scored 14 points each while senior Morgan Knorr chipped in with 10 points and nine assists.

The Prairie Stars fell behind early in the game as the Panthers jumped out to a 10-4 lead by the 5:16 minute mark. UIS scored six straight points to tie the game including back-to-back buckets from Patterson to make the score 10-10. Greenville took a four-point lead into the second quarter. After scoring only 10 points in the first period, UIS bounced back with 19 in the second to close the gap to just one, 30-29, by halftime.

Greenville shot the ball well from the floor against the Prairie Stars, converting 48 percent (25-52) of its shots while the Prairie Stars finished at 43 percent (30-70). UIS struggled from the free throw line, shooting 7-for-16, its lowest percentage of the season.

UIS is back in action on Saturday to host McKendree in the Prairie Stars' GLVC home opener.