Illinois Springfield women's basketball (10-13, 7-8 GLVC) secured a decisive victory over Missouri S&T (8-12, 4-10 GLVC), 66-45, with a strong defensive effort that forced 24 turnovers. This win marks the third consecutive victory for the Prairie Stars over Missouri S&T, further solidifying their dominance in recent matchups between the teams.

UIS opened the game with a strong performance, highlighted by a 9-2 run midway through the quarter. Kennedy Osterman contributed with a key three-pointer at 8:04, assisted by Molly Knight, to establish an early lead. The Prairie Stars capitalized on turnovers, converting six Missouri S&T turnovers into points, and showcased a balanced offensive attack with three made threes out of five attempts. The quarter concluded with the Prairie Stars leading 18-11.

The Prairie Stars surged midway through the second quarter with a key layup by Alandyn Simmons at 6:56, extending their lead to 20-13. Libby Blythe later contributed with a jumper at 5:04, maintaining their advantage. Missouri S&T made a push, but the Prairie Stars responded with a pair of three-pointers from Kayla Rice and Molly Knight. The quarter concluded with the Prairie Stars ahead 28-19.

UIS seized control in the third quarter, outscoring Missouri S&T 21-14. A pivotal moment came when Blythe hit a jumper at 5:08, extending the lead to double digits at 34-22. Rice's three-pointer at 1:20 further solidified the advantage. This game saw Kayla Rice matching her career-best performance by hitting six triples, a feat she has accomplished only once before. The Prairie Stars' defense forced nine turnovers, contributing to a secure lead. The quarter ended with the Prairie Stars ahead, 49-33.

The Prairie Stars closed out their victory with a decisive performance, extending their lead to 52-35 early in the quarter. Simmons contributed significantly, scoring back-to-back layups, pushing the advantage to 56-35 midway through the quarter. Missouri S&T attempted to rally with a few successful shots but could not cut the gap. Blythe capped the scoring for the Prairie Stars with a triple at 34 seconds remaining. The game concluded with the Prairie Stars on top 66-45 with ten three-pointers made

Kayla Rice scored 25 points, including six threes, and recorded four steals. Molly Knight dished out seven assists and added six points. Alandyn Simmons tallied 11 points and collected four rebounds. Blythe contributed 13 points, making five of six field goal attempts.

"We got some of our defensive intensity back tonight," head coach Olivia Birt said. "Offensively, we were extremely unselfish and found the hot hand throughout the game. It felt good to get a conference road win."

The Prairie Stars have a record of 10-13 overall and 7-8 in GLVC play. Missouri S&T holds a record of 8-12 overall and 4-10 in GLVC competition.

Up Next
UIS has a Thursday bye before Saturday's 12:00 p.m. CT game at UIndy.