SPRINGFIELD, IL --- The Illinois Springfield men's basketball team has turned the calendar on the most successful first half since joining the Division II ranks and will face off against Great Lakes Valley Conference foes Lewis and McKendree to begin the new year.

SETTING THE SCENE
The Prairie Stars (9-3, 1-1) head into the match-up as winners of their last three and nine of their last ten. After dropping the first two games of the season, the Prairie Stars rattled off six straight wins before losing a three-point decision to Rockhurst. UIS then closed out the 2017 calendar with three straight non-conference wins.

Lewis (6-7, 1-2) enters the weekend winning their last two games and four of their last five. Lewis opened the conference season with losses to Southern Indiana and Bellarmine before taking down UIndy 88-75 in overtime. Lewis is currently T-3 in the GLVC east division.

McKendree (10-2, 1-1) comes into the weekend as winners of five straight games. The Bearcats are 6-2 at home this season with losses to Trevecca Nazarene and Truman State. McKendree will face off against UW-Parkisde on Thursday before welcoming UIS to Lebanon.

A LOOK AT THE GLVC
Illinois Springfield ranks 6^th in the GLVC in points per game (82.9) and 3^rd in scoring defense (69.8), giving them the 5^th best point differential ( 13.2) in the GLVC. The Prairie Stars have made their way into the win column this year with great defense and rebounding. Currently, the Prairie Stars rank 3^rd in field goal percentage defense (42.4), 1^st in 3-PT field goal defense (30.6), and 3^rd in rebounds (40.3).

Incredibly, UIS leads the league in 3-PT field goal defense, but also ranks last in 3-PT field goal offense. Currently, the Prairie Stars are hitting just 32.8 percent of their shots from deep.

Individually, Eddie Longmeyer ranks 7^th in points per game, averaging 18.3 while also ranking 8^th in rebounds, grabbing 8.2 per contest. The senior guard is 8^th in field goal percentage (52.1), 4^th in steals (2.0), and also dishes 2.5 assists per game.

Freshman guard, Aundrae Williams, currently ranks 7^th in the GLVC with 1.6 steals per game. Logan Gonce ranks 8^th in assists (3.7).

GLVC NATIONAL RANKINGS
The GLVC currently has three teams recognized in the NABC National Poll. Bellarmine holds the highest ranking, sitting 3^rd with a perfect 11-0 record. William Jewell ranks 27^th and Southern Indiana received one vote.

A LOOK AT LEWIS
The Flyers are led by Delaney Blaylock, who is averaging 15.8 points, but closely followed by Cristen Wilson at 15.5 points. As a team, the Flyers put in 76.8 points per game and grab 35.5 boards per contest. Wilson ranks 8^th in the league with 8.2 rebounds per game and hits 58.3 percent of his shots from the floor.

UIS is 3-13 all-time against the Flyers and have dropped the last 10 decisions, last winning in 2011. The Prairie Stars have played the Flyers tough though, falling by four, eight, and five in three of the last five meetings.

A LOOK AT MCKENDREE
The Bearcats are 10-2 on the season but have played the 13^th easiest schedule in the entire NCAA Division II. Their opponents have combined for a 15-28 record on the season, just a 34.9 winning percentage. The 15 total wins from their opponents is the second fewest in the entire Division II.

The Bearcats are led by the GLVC's leading scorer, Justin Blanks, who averages 20.3 points per game. Blanks is the lone player in the conference to average over 20 points, and is doing so by shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three. Malcolm Mabry is 4^th in the league in rebounding, grabbing 9.6 per game.

UIS is 12-14 against the Bearcats, but won both meetings last year and have won five of the last seven. UIS is 5-8 in Lebanon and 6-6 at home. Last season, UIS won 92-89 on the road before collecting an 83-75 victory on senior night.

MEDIA CENTRAL
GLVCSN vs. Lewis
GLVCSN vs. McKendree
Live Stats vs. Lewis
Live Stats vs. McKendree
Listen on 101.1 The Outlaw

COMING UP NEXT
The Prairie Stars will return home on Thursday, January 11^th to face off against Missouri-St. Louis. On Saturday, UIS will travel to Quincy before finishing up a three-game-in-five-day stretch by hosting McKendree on Monday, January 15^th.

The entire slate for the remainder of the season is strictly GLVC games and will be mostly a Thursday-Saturday format.