SPRINGFIELD, IL --- The Prairie Stars resume Great Lakes Valley Conference play by hosting Truman State and Quincy University this week to begin the final 16-game stretch of all GLVC play. UIS currently sits at 5-6, 0-2 on the year and hasn't played a regular season game since December 16^th at Glenville State.

SETTING THE SCENE
Illinois Springfield enters the week having dropped two of their last three contest, winning at home against Harris-Stowe on December 14^th between losses to Kentucky Wesleyan and Glenville State. UIS will take on Truman State (10-3, 2-1) on Thursday before welcoming in Quincy (13-1, 3-0) on Saturday.

Truman State comes into the week having split their last four games after beginning the season 8-1. However, their last two losses, which came to Quincy and Kentucky Wesleyan, were both one-point losses, 91-90 and 73-74, both on the road.

Quincy enters GLVC play having won 12-straight contests, including their last three by at least 29 points. Their 12-game winning streak is tied with Southern Indiana for the best in the GLVC and are ranked 27^th in the nation, five points outside the top-25.

TOUGH STRETCH
To open GLVC play, UIS will face four of the top teams in the conference --- Bellarmine, Southern Indiana, Truman State, and Quincy --- who own a combined record of 45-6. Bellarmine, Southern Indiana, and Quincy are all in the nation's top-27 with Truman State lurking in the rankings.

SEEING DOUBLE
Sophomore center, Zach Steinberg, continues to be a force in the GLVC, as he is now one of just two players in the 16-team league to average a double-double. Ranking 11^th in the league in scoring with 16.1 points per game and topping the league with 10.9 rebounds per game, Steinberg has recorded seven double-doubles on the season, ranking him top in the conference and 9^th in the nation.

BALANCED ATTACK
With six players averaging over 20 minutes per game, the Prairie Stars scoring attack is balanced as well. All six players who average at least 20 minutes per game score at least 9.3 points per game. Four players average over 10 points per game and four players have made at least 13 threes'.

ALL-TIME HISTORY
Last season, the Bulldogs defended their home court with a 95-79 victory over UIS. The Prairie Stars are 1-3 all-time against Truman State, winning last in 2014 in Kirksville.

UIS holds a 5-7 mark against Quincy since 2002, playing against each other in the GLVC since 2010. UIS has won four of the last seven games though Quincy has won the last two.

SCOUTING TRUMAN STATE
The Bulldogs enter the contest with the leagues fifth best offense, scoring 88.0 points per game while allowing the fifth least points at 70.0. Their +18.0 scoring margin is behind only Southern Indiana as they hit 45.2 percent of their three's, good for the 4^th best mark in the nation.

Jake Velky leads the way for Truman, averaging 17.0 points per game. From deep, Nathan Messer hits a league-leading 3.85 threes per game and has 50 on the season.

SCOUTING QUINCY
Offensively, Quincy has the league's 4^th best offensive attack, averaging 88.6 points per game while surrendering just 71.0 for a +17.6 scoring average, behind only Truman and Southern Indiana. They do so by shooting a GLVC best 53.8 percent from the field which is also the third-best mark in the nation.

Individually, Joseph Tagarelli leads the conference with 18.9 points per game and brings in 9.6 rebounds a night. Herm Senor II leads the league by dishing out 6.79 assists per game while also owning a 1.79 assist/turnover ratio.

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