SPINGFIELD, IL --- The University of Illinois Springfield begins a four-game conference home stand as they look to make a push into the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament for the fifth consecutive year. UIS welcomes in Drury and Missouri S&T to TRAC for games on Thursday and Saturday.

SETTING THE SCENE
Overall Records (GLVC):

• UIS | 9-14 (3-10) | 8^th in East
• Drury | 14-7 (9-4) | T-1^st in West
• Mo S&T | 8-14 (4-9) | 5^th in West

The Prairie Stars are coming off a road trip in which they beat Maryville 68-59 after an 18-0 run in the first half gave them a lead they would not relinquish. On Saturday, the Prairie Stars held a nine-point lead at the break and increased that lead to 15 in the second half but were unable to hold on as two UMSL free throws in the final ten seconds gave the Tritons a 72-71 lead.

KEY STATS AND RANKINGS
Scoring offense:

• Mo S&T - 81.5 - (6^th)
• UIS - 78.1 - (11^th)
• Drury - 73.6 - (16^th)

Scoring Defense:

• Drury - 71.3 - (3^rd)
• UIS - 77.7 - (10^th)
• Mo S&T - 84.9 - (15^th)

3-Pt FT %:

• Drury - 40.9 - (2^nd)
• UIS - 37.1 - (8^th)
• Mo S&T - 34.5 - (14^th)

Assist/Turnover Ratio:

• UIS - 1.04 - (9^th)
• Mo S&T - 0.99 - (13^th)
• Drury - 0.85 - (15^th)

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
As a team, the Prairie Stars are shooting 37.1 percent from three-point range, putting them 8^th in the GLVC. Their 172 made three's is tied for third best in the league behind only Quincy (215) and Truman State (214).

In their past five games, the Prairie Stars have hit 40 threes point shots. In three of those games, UIS has made at least ten, including a 12-for-35 mark against Lewis and a 10-of-18 mark against UMSL, good for 56 percent. Bahari Amaya was 5-for-5 from deep against UMSL.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Drury
The Panthers are winners of three of their last four games and have won two straight at home. Most impressively, they beat #11 Bellarmine 66-56 in their last game. They have five games remaining and this is their final road trip of the season before hosting their last three games of the regular season. They are currently in a three-way tie atop the western standing with Truman State and Quincy.

Leading Scorer: Kameron Bundy - 19.0 (4^th in GLVC)
Leading Rebounder: Drew Moore - 6.0 (17^th in GLVC)
Leading Assists: Kameron Bundy - 3.6

Missouri S&T
The Miners come into this road trip having lost their last four games and nine of their last ten. They are coming off a four-game home stand, losing three of the four games by over ten points. They are currently ranked 5^th in the GLVC West, ahead of UMSL, who the Prairie Stars just fell to 72-71.

Leading Scorer: BJ McLaughlin - 15.4 (11^th in GLVC)
Leading Rebounder: Rokas Paulauskus - 6.5 (9^th in GLVC)
Leading Assists: Juwan Miller - 4.19 (7^th in GLVC)

SERIES HISTORY
UIS is 1-9 all-time against Drury, picking up their lone win in 2012 at home. UIS fell by eight points in the GLVC tournament in 2014 to Drury, who has now won six straight games against the Prairie Stars. Drury has a 3-1 record at TRAC. The last time the two teams met, UIS fell 70-55 on the road as four players scored in double figures.

UIS is 7-2 all-time against Missouri S&T, winning the last three games, two of which were at home. UIS last fell to the Miners in 2013 on the road before winning three straight by an average of 10.9 points per game. The last time the two teams met, UIS defended their home court with an 89-80 win as JJ Cravatta led the way with 24 points, hitting 12-of-13 free throws.

COMING UP NEXT
UIS will complete a four-game home stand as Southern Indiana and Bellarmine come to Springfield. The Prairie Stars have already played these two teams on the road to begin the conference season, falling 72-62 to Bellarmine and 85-64 to Southern Indiana. That will conclude the home schedule for the Prairie Stars and they will conclude the regular season at McKendree on February 25^th.

ACADEMIC APPRECIATION NIGHT
On Thursday, UIS will celebrate the academic achievement of the athletes from the fall semester. In accordance with these festivities, it will also serve as Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night. For this event, all faculty and staff of UIS as well as their families will receive free admission into the game.