SPRINGFIELD, IL --- JJ Cravatta scored a season-high 25 points but the Prairie Stars fell short against Drury, 77-70, in Springfield. The University of Illinois Springfield (9-15, 3-11) couldn't overcome an 11-point halftime deficit and fell to the Drury Panthers (15-7, 10-4) in a GLVC cross-divisional match-up.

Jesse Tesmer got the Prairie Stars on the board in their first possession, taking a pass from Richard Freeman and putting UIS up a basket. Drury responded with a three on the ensuing possession and started an 11-2 run to take the early lead. Jamall Millison rattled off five straight points to cut the deficit to four, but Drury combatted that with a quick 8-0 run.

Down 24-12, UIS had a run of their own, scoring ten unanswered points and cutting the deficit to just two at 24-22. Cravatta scored the first eight points of the run, which included a three and then an old-fashioned three point play off a jumper. Logan Gonce finished the rally with a layup as the Prairie Stars trailed by just two with 6:10 left in the half.

UIS cut the Drury lead to as little as three in the first half, but couldn't take the next step and tie the game. Ultimately, Drury ended the half up with an 11-point lead on the road.

The Panthers increased their lead to 17 after two minutes had passed in the second half but the Prairie Stars fought back and got two three's from Davi Austin and another from Cravatta, before Millison hit his second of the night, and trailed by just six with over 14 minutes remaining.

Two free throws from Zach Steinberg cut the deficit to as little as four but that's as close as it would get. The Panthers stretched their lead back out to as much as ten as the Prairie Stars couldn't gain any ground. The Panthers made 10-of-11 free throws in the final 5:52 of the game, not allowing UIS to forge any sort of comeback.

The two-teams both brought in 39 rebounds, but UIS held a 17-to-10 advantage in offensive boards, resulting in 13 second chance points opposed to just six from the Panthers. Steinberg and Collin Blaydes each grabbed seven rebounds for the Prairie Stars, including seven offensive between the two forwards. Cravatta ended the night with 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including a 4-of-6 mark from three. The 25 points is a season-high and two points off his career best of 27, which he had against Rockhurst in 2015.

Millison totaled 19 points on the night and Gonce dished out four assists off the bench while not turning the ball over.

UIS will return home again on Saturday to face Missouri S&T at 3 pm. The Prairie Stars have three more home games remaining and four regular season games left as they fight for one of the final playoff spots into the GLVC tournament.