SPRINGFIELD, IL – There were 11 lead changes in Thursday's Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) matchup but the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) women's basketball team came out ahead with a 68-63 victory over Rockhurst University.
 
"We had a night where we didn't play our best executionwise but our effort was great and we found a way to win the game," UIS coach Mark Kost said. "In the past, we've found ways to lose the game but that is the growth process of building a basketball team and basketball program."
 
The Prairie Stars (7-1, 2-0) put together their first 2-0 start in the GLVC in program history with their win over Rockhurst (6-3, 2-1). UIS is currently tied for ninth in the latest Division II Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) Midwest Region poll.
 
The Prairie Stars started off with an 11-9 lead. Shelbi Patterson hit a 3-pointer and jumper to put UIS up by seven points. UIS held a 19-15 advantage through one quarter.
 
Rockhurst gained the lead with 4 minutes, 32 seconds left in the second quarter off a 3-pointer from Lauren Krissman as the Hawks took a 27-25 lead. Rockhurst went ahead 30-25 after a steal and transition layup from Briahtia Sebek. UIS closed out the quarter with a pair of buckets from Patterson and two free throws from Destiny Ramey. The Prairie Stars and the Hawks enter halftime knotted at 31-all.
 
UIS and Rockhurst traded baskets to start the third quarter. Jillian Myers hit a pair of 3-pointers to put Rockhurst ahead 39-33. The Prairie Stars responded with six consecutive points. Both teams remained within a possession until Jasmine Sangster converted on a bucket-and-one situation with 22 seconds left in the third quarter. UIS led Rockhurst 50-45 through three quarters. The third quarter consisted of five lead changes.
 
The Hawks scored eight points in a row to take a 53-50 lead in the fourth quarter. UIS tied the game a 53-all and again at 55-all. UIS used a timeout with five minutes remaining to take advantage of a familiar situation.
 
"In the timeout with five minutes, I said that we've been in this situation three or four times already this year. We like this situation. We play with poise and confidence and that's what we did down the stretch. I think the more that we get into those situations, the more confidence we'll have in each other and we'll get the job done."
 
Tehya Fortune drained a 3-pointer with 5:10 to go to give UIS the lead for good.
 
Rockhurst trailed by four with less than two minutes remaining. In an effort to cut their deficit to one possession, the Hawks went up for a layup, but Katelyn Rosner came up with the block, despite already having four fouls to her name.
 
"[Katelyn] comes through at great times with those blocks, for sure," Ramsey acknowledged.
 
UIS outscored Rockhurst 7-6 for the remainder of the contest.
 
"If we were put in this situation last year, we probably would have crumbled," Patterson admitted. "I think with this year's team, we stay focused and we get the job done."
 
"When things didn't go our way, we didn't drop our heads; we got stops, got rebounds and did things we need to do to close out a basketball game," Kost commented.
 
Ramsey powered to 22 points to lead the Prairie Stars. The 6-foot senior forward from Bloomington, IL converted 9-of-14 (64.3 percent) shots from the field.
 
"Everyone performed very well," Patterson stated. "Destiny, of course, always puts in work. Everyone just plays team ball and I think that is the difference between last year and this year."
 
Patterson registered 18 points for UIS.
 
"[Destiny and Shelbi] are playing like seniors should play and they're making plays down the stretch," Kost said.
 
Fortune tallied nine points, five assists and three steals. Rosner contributed eight points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. Val Meissner recorded seven points and Sangster rounded out the UIS scoring effort with four points.
 
Myers led the Hawks with 15 points, four assists, three steals and three blocks. Madeline Ronshausen contributed 13 points and Krissman scored 11 points. Mary Leigh Rock pulled down seven rebounds.
 
Both teams use size and physicality to their advantages. The Prairie Stars outrebounded the Hawks 37-33 and outscored the Hawks 26-20 in the paint.
 
"We had to match their physicality," Ramsey acknowledged. "It was just one of those things where we knew that we needed to be ready to play. We knew it was coming, so we practiced in practice how to get around, how to play string and we did it."
 
UIS created plays in transition and held an 11-to-2 advantage over Rockhurst in fast-break points.
 
The Prairie Stars hit 13-of-21 (61.9 percent) attempts from the free-throw line. UIS took advantage of its multi-possession cushion during the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.
 
"We unfortunately had a rough night from the line. Thank goodness that we did some other things well and didn't have to worry about free throws in the end."
 
The Hawks drained 10-of-14 (71.4 percent) shots from the charity stripe.
 
UIS converted 25-of-55 (45.5 percent) shots from the floor and 5-of-19 (26.3 percent) attempts from 3-point range. Rockhurst drained 23-of-62 (37.1 percent) attempts from the field and 7-of-19 (36.8 percent) shots from downtown.
 
The Prairie Stars venture to Daytona Beach, FL for the Daytona Beach Shootout. UIS battles Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (7-1) on Dec. 18 at 11 a.m. (ET). The Prairie Stars then take on Angelo State University (4-2) on Dec. 19 at 1:15 p.m. (ET). Embry-Riddle is receiving votes in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) NCAA Division II poll.

UIS faces off with Lewis University (7-3, 2-1) on Jan. 4 at 5:30 p.m. in Romeoville, IL to return to GLVC play. 
 
"We're going to have a week of practice, stay focused, go down to Florida, hopefully win two games, come back and get ready for conference play in January," Patterson commented.
 
"We're looking forward to it," Kost added. "[Embry-Riddle and Angelo State] are two really good teams. That'll be a good challenge for us and make us better."