Illinois Springfield men's basketball (6-2, 3-0 GLVC) secured a narrow 63-58 victory over McKendree (5-2, 1-1 GLVC) on Thursday night at TRAC. The Prairie Stars knocked down 13 three-pointers and led for more than 26 minutes in the tightly contested conference matchup.

McKendree jumped out to an early 8-0 lead before Isaiah Davis put UIS on the board with a three-pointer at the 16:00 mark. That basket sparked an outside shooting surge, as UIS connected on nine three-pointers in the opening half. Strong defensive pressure from the Prairie Stars also created multiple McKendree turnovers.

With just under eight minutes remaining in the half, UIS tied the game at 19-19 on another three from Davis. UIS seized the momentum as Tye Banks hit a three at 2:44, putting the Prairie Stars ahead for the first time. UIS went into the break up 36-32 after Jordan Rice finished a driving layup with four seconds remaining.

Illinois Springfield opened the second half with the same energy. Davis buried another three at 17:34, followed by Britton Dutton connecting from beyond the arc at 16:57. The Prairie Stars also controlled the defensive glass, limiting second-chance opportunities for McKendree.

UIS pushed its lead to 49-40 following key free throws by Rice at 9:46 and eventually led by as many as 12 points midway through the half. McKendree clawed back into the game late, but Dutton knocked down an important jumper at 2:35 to halt the momentum. In the final moments, free throws from Dutton and Alex Stell sealed the 63-58 win as UIS outscored McKendree 27-26 in the second half. 

"Tonight was a really strong defensive effort from our men," said head coach Matt Brock. "McKendree is a really good ball club, big and physical, but we made it hard for them to get deep in the lane. I thought Britton Dutton was a key on both ends of the floor." 

Davis led UIS with 18 points, knocking down six three-pointers and adding six rebounds. Dutton added 16 points, with four of his five field goals coming from long distance. Rice finished with nine points, five assists, and two steals, while Stell chipped in nine rebounds, five points, and one block.

As a team, UIS shot 40.6% from three-point range, recorded 37 rebounds, and controlled the lead for over 26 minutes of game time.

Up Next
Illinois Springfield returns to TRAC on Saturday to face Maryville at 3:00 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear blue!