The UIS women's basketball team returns home to TRAC at 1:00 p.m. Saturday to face nationally-ranked Ferris State, one of the top programs in the Midwest region. The Prairie Stars are coming off an 85-75 road win at Purdue Northwest, in which five players scored in double figures and every player contributed.

Illinois Springfield (1-2)
UIS is opening the season with a challenging regional schedule and a young roster, including several freshmen starters, but the team has been competitive in every game. Tuesday's win over Purdue Northwest saw UIS take control in the third quarter, opening with a 9-0 run led by Allysia McDaniel, who finished with a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds. Julia Mingus added 13 points and three steals, while Kayla Rice scored 11 with a team-high six assists and Kennedy Osterman contributed 12 points. UIS never lost control in the fourth despite late pushes from Purdue Northwest.

Through three games, Osterman and Rice are both inside the GLVC top 10 in scoring, averaging 15.0 and 14.3 points per game, respectively. UIS is shooting exceptionally well from three-point range (46.3 percent, leading the GLVC) and averaging 43.0 percent from the field. The team also leads the GLVC in free-throw percentage at 82.9 percent.

No. 24 Ferris State (4-1)
Ferris State has dropped just one game this season, to the No. 2 team in the country, and recently moved into the WBCA Top-25 after a 97-67 win over Drury on Nov. 16. On Wednesday, the Bulldogs survived a tight in-region contest at Northwood, winning 88-84 in overtime. Wednesday's game showed Ferris State can rally when needed, though they allowed multiple free-throw opportunities and struggled to contain perimeter shooting, which fueled Northwood's initial comeback.

The team returns several key contributors from last season, including Kadyn Blanchard, Mya Hiram, and Mia Riley, each averaging more than 10 points per game, while promising freshman Charlotte Miller is the only non-senior starter.

UIS has an 0-2 all-time record against Ferris State, including last year's road matchup, but comes into Saturday's game with momentum and the home-court advantage to open its slate of 14 home games at TRAC this season.

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