SPRINGFIELD, IL --- Down 15 at the half, the Prairie Stars (8-12, 2-10) couldn't get much going offensively, totaling just 16 points in the first half against Maryville (9-10, 3-9). The second half though, was a completely different story, as UIS erased a 13-point deficit in the final quarter to complete the comeback win 59-57 over the Saints.

Meredith Marti began the game with a three point basket in the Prairie Stars first possession as they took their first lead of the game. After that, UIS didn't connect on any of their next eight shot attempts before Caroline Kelty ended the quarter with a three, but not before the Prairie Stars found themselves trailing 19-6 after the first ten minutes.

A ten point second quarter put the Prairie Stars down 15-points at the half as the Saints went into the break coming off an old-fashioned three-point play off an offensive rebound.

The Prairie Stars shot just 26 percent in the first half and did not attempt a single free throw. This compares to the Saints, who shot 43 percent from the field and were 3-of-7 from the charity stripe.

The tides would turn in the final half though, as the Prairie Stars began the third quarter with jumpers from Syerra Cunningham and Shelbi Patterson. The deficit would then grow to as much as 16 with over a minute to go in the third quarter, before Cunningham ended the quarter with a free throw and layup at the buzzer to gain some momentum going into the final quarter.

Down 13 with ten minutes to play, Cunningham scored the first six points of the quarter for UIS before Marti hit another three in the middle of a 10-4 UIS run, capped by a layup from Ashley McHenry. Down by eight with under five minutes remaining, UIS began their final comeback.

A free throw from McHenry preceded a layup from Cunningham, which brought the deficit to just five with over two minutes remaining. Marti then hit consecutive three's on back-to-back possessions to give UIS their first lead since the opening minutes. Up 56-55 with 1:16 remaining, UIS surrendered a basket on the following possession to trail once again.

However, the resilience of the team showed as McHenry connected with a layup out of a time out and UIS regained the lead, this time for good.

On the following Maryville possession, McHenry limited the home team to just one shot attempt, grabbing the defensive rebound before getting fouled. She connected on one of the two free throw attempts but the final shot from Maryville missed the mark and UIS completed the comeback.

A 7-of-27 first half turned into a 17-of-30 second half, nearly a 57 percent clip, including 4-for-8 from deep. Cunningham ended the game with 21 points and 15 rebounds, and nearly recorded a double-double in the second half alone with 15 points and eight rebounds in the final half.

Marti hit 4-of-8 from three and ended with 14 points while McHenry added eight points and seven rebounds. Morgan Knorr dished out three assists while committing no turnovers and Kelty added eight points, two rebounds, and two assists in 26 minutes off the bench.

UIS has now won back-to-back games for the first time since November and will look to continue this streak against UMSL (8-12, 3-9) on Saturday as they continue a push for the GLVC tournament.