SPRINGFIELD, IL --- The Illinois Springfield men's basketball team picked up their first win of the season, utilizing a 67-point second half en route to a 92-85 win over Harris-Stowe State University. The Prairie Stars (1-2) had five players in double-figures to best the Hornets (1-3), in a throwback American Midwest Conference (AMC) game.

The Prairie Stars, who left the AMC in 2008 after becoming an NCAA Division II institution, improved to 13-1 all-time against the Hornets, including wins in each of the last two seasons.

Eddie Longmeyer led the way for the Prairie Stars with 24 points, seven boards, three assists, and two steals. Longmeyer scored 21 of his 24 points in the second half, shooting 6-of-7 from the field down the stretch and hitting 9-of-12 from the line.

Another main reason the Prairie Stars pulled out the victory, was the play of freshman guard Aundrae Williams, a native of Springfield. In his first collegiate game in front of his friends and family, the graduate of Lanphier High School dumped in 20 points on 5-of-7 shooting and 9-of-11 from the line. Williams scored 12 point in the second half, and totaled 25 minutes on the game, committing just one turnover.

"It's a blessing," said Williams. "Not many players get to play basketball after high school and for me to get to play in front of my hometown is a blessing. I take none of this for granted and we work hard every day in practice and to see all my family and friends from high school, it was a confidence booster to go out and give them a good show."

The Prairie Stars trailed early, not getting many shots to fall, allowing Harris-Stowe to take a 25-15 lead with just over four minutes remaining in the half. A three from Williams started a 7-0 UIS run to cut the deficit to 25-21, which was then cut to just two on a jumper from Lijah Donnelly.

The Prairie Stars went into the half down 30-25 after shooting just 35.7 percent from the field and just 1-of-10 from deep in the first half.

As the Prairie Stars returned to the court from the locker room, a different team came out, as the Prairie Stars his their first four three point attempts in the first three minutes. Gilwan Nelson hit the first, followed by Vince Walker, Donnelly, and another from Walker.

UIS upped their lead to ten with 15:44 remaining; leading 45-35 but an ensuing 9-0 run from Harris-Stowe cut the lead to just one. However, UIS never let the lead go, using an 11-0 run, capped by a layup from Williams to take a 60-48 lead.

The lead was again trimmed to just two with 3:39 remaining, but UIS capped the night by making nine of their final 11 free throws, including the last four going in off the hand of Williams, who was a perfect 8-for-8 from the line in the second half.

"I think it was a real confidence booster for every man on the roster," said Williams regarding the win. "We went to Ohio and didn't come back the way we wanted to but coach saw some spurts of us being a great team and so did we. Tonight, we came out and gave the crowd what they wanted."  

Longmeyer's 24 points ties a career-high, set against Quincy last season. Gilwan Nelson totaled 12 points while Donnelly poured in 16 points off the bench, hitting both his three point attempts, and grabbing seven rebounds, dishing three assists, and collecting three steals.

As a team, UIS had 11 steals, the most since December 1^st of 2016 against Bellarmine.

The Prairie Stars will return to the court on Friday to take on Robert Morris Peoria for a 7:00 PM tip.