SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The University of Illinois Springfield men's basketball team battled back from 15 down in the second half to force the game into overtime, but dropped a heartbreaker to No. 12 UW-Parkside, 83-82, on Saturday afternoon in TRAC.

The loss forces a must-win situation for the Prairie Stars against McKendree as they wrap up the season on Thursday in Lebanon, Ill.

The physical game featured 46 combined fouls, six tie scores and nine lead changes. The Prairie Stars' biggest lead came in overtime on a pair of free throws from JJ Cravatta. A three-pointer from Jimmy Gavin and a three-point play from Andy Mazurczak put the visitors out front, 81-77. Gavin finished with 40 points and Mazurczak chipped in 17 with a 10-for-10 outing from the line.

Junior Jamall Millison (Bolingbrook, Ill.) hit a three-pointer and a Davi Austin (Newark, N.J.) put the Stars out front again. On UIS' next possession, a foul sent Mazurczak to the line where he sunk both to eventually decide the game. A last second lay up from Mark Weems (Chicago) bounced off the backboard to end the chance of the upset.

UIS trailed by nine at the half despite outshooting the Rangers from the floor. UW-Parkside hit 10-of-14 free throws, while UIS was just 3-for-5.

In the second half, the Prairie Stars trailed by as many as 15, but stormed back to force the extra time. A pair of Mazurczak free throws with 11:12 left in the game gave the Rangers a 15-point barrier but UIS chipped away at the lead with a 13-2 run over the next three minutes to pull within four with eight minutes to play. The Stars continued to eat away at the Ranger advantage tying the game at 64 with 5:14 left on a pair of freebies from Weems.

Parkside grew its lead back to five, but Illinois Springfield ended regulation with the final five points, including a three by Millison with 38 ticks left to force overtime with the score tied 71-71.

Millison had 19 points on 5-for-13 from the floor and a 6-for-7 outing from the line. Weems tallied 18 points and seven rebounds, while senior Dylan Sparkman added 17. He was 7-for-10 from the floor with six rebounds and a block in his final outing at TRAC. Classmate Kentrell King (Chicago) also made a splash in his final game with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal.

The Prairie Stars shot 47 percent for the game on 28-of-59 and went 19-for-22 from the line. UW-Parkside shot well below its season average at a 37 percent clip, but came out at the line with a 28-for-33 afternoon.

Game time in Lebanon is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday for the regular season finale.