SPRINGFIELD, IL --- The Prairie Stars (5-5, 0-2) scored 56 points in the first half to take a 20-point lead into the break, and cruised to a 98-86 victory over NAIA opponent, Harris-Stowe State University (2-8, 0-4). Four Prairie Stars reached double-figures in the win and for the first time this season, two players scored 20-points in the game as Lijah Donnelly and Zach Steinberg each hit the plateau.

After Harris Stowe jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead, Brandon Van Sant led the early offense for UIS, hitting his first two jumpers of the game. UIS used a 17-2 run to take a 19-8 lead, capped by three consecutive threes from Eddie Longmeyer and Vince Walker, as Longmeyer hit the first two.

The Prairie Stars grew their lead to as much as 23 in the first half before taking a 20-point lead into the half. UIS shot 62 percent in the first half and hit 5-of-10 from deep along with 15-of-19 from the free throw line.

Down 21 with 17:50 to play, Harris-Stowe went on a 11-0 run over the next minute and 45 seconds to cut the deficit to just ten with over 16 minutes remaining. Four straight free throws from UIS extended the lead back to 14 and UIS would keep the double-digit advantage until the eight-minute mark when a three from Harris-Stowe cut the lead to just seven.

This is as close as it would get though as UIS would go shot-for-shot with the Hornets over the final eight minutes to eventually win by 12.

On the game, UIS shot 52 percent and hit eight three's on 19 attempts while hitting a season high 34-of-42 from the charity stripe. The 98 points is the second most on the season behind only a 100-point effort against Robert Morris-Springfield on November 16^th.

Donnelly led the offensive attack with a game-high 22 points and added six assists and two steals. Steinberg recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 20 points and 14 rebounds while Longmeyer had 18 points and a game-high seven assists. Kaj Days hit 4-of-7 from the field and 8-of-9 from the line to add 16 points --- one shy of his career-high.

Paxton Harmon filled the stat sheet with six points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal while not committing a turnover in 37 minutes on the court.

UIS will hit the road for just the third time this season on Friday as they travel to West Virginia to take on Glenville State of the Mountain East Conference for a 1:00 PM local time start. The Pioneers are 3-3 on the season and UIS will look to conclude the 2016 regular season portion of their schedule with their second road win.