The University of Illinois Springfield women's basketball team forced 23 turnovers and defeated Maryville on Monday at TRAC. The final score was 68-58 in favor of the Prairie Stars.
 
Maryville had a better shooting day as it shot 44 percent from the field and made 46.7 percent from three-point range. UIS shot 35.7 percent, but attempted 20 more field goals in the contest. That was in large part to a +15 turnover margin, which led to UIS having 23 points off turnovers. UIS also shot 15-of-16 from the free-throw line.
 
UIS grabbed its first lead of the game at 16-15 in the final minute of the first quarter. It never gave that lead up. The Prairie Stars led 31-27 at halftime, and then pulled away in the third. UIS led 38-35 with 4:31 remaining, but closed the quarter on a 13-4 for a 12-point lead. UIS spent the fourth preventing a large Maryville run, and it never let the Saints get closer than eight points.
 
The trio of Lauren Ladowski, Malea Jackson, and Ellie Mitchell led the team's offense after combining for 56 points. Ladowski and Jackson each had 20, and were a perfect nine-of-nine from the free-throw line. Mitchell finished with 16 points and a team-high three assists. Ladowski also led the team with five steals.
Olivia Travis and Ally Gietzel each finished with six points. Gietzel paced the squad with 12 rebounds. Olivia Stephens came off the bench and had a team-high +12 plus/minus in the game.
 
UIS improves to 8-5 overall and 3-4 in GLVC play. The Prairie Stars are on the road next week, starting with a Thursday game at Southern Indiana.