The University of Illinois Springfield women's basketball team improved to 2-0 on the young season after a strong defensive effort on Saturday in Lebanon, Ill. The Prairie Stars allowed the fewest points against a NCAA Division II opponent since the 2016-17 season in the 60-45 victory over Tiffin.
 
Both teams started out slow offensively, but UIS heated up late in the first quarter to grab an 11-8 lead through one period. It stretched out that lead in the second quarter and led 31-20 at halftime.
 
The Prairie Stars never allowed the Dragons back in the game in the second half. They led by as many as 20 points in the third quarter, and the lead never dropped to single-digits until the final 90 seconds of the game.
 
UIS held Tiffin to just 30 percent shooting from the field, including 26.3 percent from three-point range. Tiffin also turned the ball over 24 times, and only went to the free-throw line 14 times. The Prairie Stars, meanwhile, shot 28 free throws and made 24.
 
UIS also won the rebounding battle 38-34. Eighteen of the Prairie Stars rebounds were hauled in by Jalyn Harris, which was the fifth-highest total in program history for a game. She also just missed a double-double with nine points, and she recorded a team-high three assists.
 
Lauren Ladowski was the leading scorer with 16 points, followed by Ellie Mitchell with 13. Liz Uhl was the leading scorer off the bench with seven. Ladowski had four steals and Olivia Stephens recorded three steals. Mitchell was second on the team with six rebounds. Ladowski finished with a team-best +20 plus/minus, while Stephens was +16 in the game.
 
UIS will look for its third 3-0 start in program history on Tuesday night when it travels to Kentucky Wesleyan for a 5:30 p.m. game.