SPRINGFIELD, IL – The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) women's basketball team pulled away from Maryville University with a 56-46 victory during Thursday's Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) matchup.
 
UIS (13-12, 7-10) remains in the hunt for a bid for the GLVC Tournament. In the GLVC Point Rating System, UIS is currently ranked 10th with a 2.62 rating. The top eight teams in the GLVC Point Rating System after the conclusion of the regular season on Saturday earn an invite to the GLVC Tournament on March 1-4 at the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, IL.
 
"We said after the Southern Indiana game that we have to put ourselves in position to be in position," UIS coach Mark Kost said. "Our girls have found a way to put it where we have a chance to go in on Saturday and let it rip and maybe get into this tournament. From there, you never know what happens."
 
The Prairie Stars evened the season series after Maryville (7-16, 4-13) slipped by UIS in a 65-59 victory on Jan. 20 in St. Louis, MO.
 
Seniors Destiny Ramsey and Shelbi Patterson led the way on Senior Night. Shelbi Patterson turned in 19 points and five assists while Ramsey recorded 16 points and 16 rebounds.
 
Katelyn Rosner pulled down 13 rebounds. The 6-foot-2 sophomore center from Chicago, IL blocked a shot, tying the UIS Division II school record with 62 career blocks.
 
Tehya Fortune tallied seven points and Jasmine Sangster added six points. Val Meissner and Rosner each rounded out the UIS scoring effort with four points.
 
Kayla Steward led the Saints with 15 points while Adrienne Horn contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds. Steward and Horn produced two blocks apiece. Mary Barton came up with four steals.
 
UIS powered to a 54-38 advantage over Maryville on the boards.
 
The Saints were limited 28.6 percent (16-of-56) shooting from the field and a 13.3 percent (2-of-15) shooting effort from 3-point range. UIS converted 23-of-71 (32.4 percent) shots from the floor and 4-of-12 (33.3 percent) attempts from the perimeter.
 
Maryville hit 12-of-18 (66.7 percent) shots from the free-throw line while UIS made 6-of-8 (75 percent) shots from the charity stripe.
 
The Prairie Stars turned the ball over 12 times while the Saints committed 11 turnovers. UIS outscored Maryville 12-6 on fast-break points.
 
UIS led 15-13 after one quarter but Maryville took a 27-24 lead at halftime.
 
The Saints led 31-28 2 minutes, 2 seconds into the third quarter but the Prairie Stars locked down defensively and went on an 11-0 run.
 
"We showed some grit in the second half. Even when Maryville was open, it felt like they were guarded because we had pressured throughout the game. They're a good basketball team. They've had a lot of injuries like we had and had to go fight through it We just kept imposing our will, keeping the pressure on them and it finally broke through for us. We made some shots and got a bit of a working lead."
 
UIS closed out the quarter with a 42-33 lead and outscored Maryville 14-13 in the fourth quarter.
 
"This was a big one for us. It gets us 13 wins. It gets us back on track."
 
The Prairie Stars wrap up the regular season as they challenge Truman State University (14-10, 9-8) on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Kirksville, MO.
 
GLVC PLAYOFF SCENARIO
There are five games on Saturday that will affect where UIS finishes in the GLVC Point Rating System:
 
12 p.m. CT – University of Wisconsin-Parkside (8-21, 4-13) at University of Indianapolis (8-19, 5-12); Indianapolis, IN
1 p.m. – Missouri S&T (8-17, 3-14) at Rockhurst University (10-15, 6-11); Kansas City, MO
1 p.m. – McKendree University (11-13, 7-10) at Quincy University (8-18, 4-13); Quincy, IL
1 p.m. – UIS (13-12, 7-10) at Truman State (14-10, 9-8); Kirksville, MO
5 p.m. – University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) (19-5, 13-4) at Maryville (7-16, 4-13); St. Louis, MO
 
UIS is fighting Rockhurst and McKendree for the No. 8 seed in the GLVC Tournament. In the GLVC Point Rating System, Rockhurst is currently eighth (2.76), McKendree is currently ninth (2.71) and UIS is currently 10th (2.62).
 
UIS QUALIFYING SCENARIOS
 
If UIS loses:

• UIS can qualify for the GLVC Tournament with wins from UMSL, Indianapolis, Quincy and Missouri S&T.

 
If UIS and Maryville wins:

• McKendree must lose for UIS to earn a share of the No. 8 seed.
• Rockhurst enters a tiebreaker with UIS with wins from Rockhurst, Quincy and Wisconsin-Parkside
• UIS secures the No. 8 seed outright with a win from Quincy and a win from either Indianapolis or Missouri S&T.

 
If UIS and UMSL wins:

• UIS clinches at least a share of the No. 8 seed
• UIS locks up the No. 8 seed outright with a win from Indianapolis or Missouri S&T

 
If UIS wins, Rockhurst loses and McKendree lose:

• UIS is guaranteed the No. 8 seed.