Illinois Springfield men's basketball (16-9, 12-5 GLVC) secured a 63-58 victory over Lewis (4-21, 2-15 GLVC) at TRAC on Thursday night. The Prairie Stars were led by their bench, contributing 23 points to the win. 

UIS initiated the opening half by establishing an effective offense, highlighted by an initial 6-0 run. Tye Banks and Alex Stell contributed key points in the paint, with Stell recording multiple defensive rebounds to maintain momentum. By mid-half, Jordan Rice and Marlon Williams added crucial assists and baskets, pushing ahead to a 23-13 lead. 

The home team capitalized on turnovers, with Adidas Davis and Colin Schuler making impactful steals that led to scoring opportunities. The Prairie Stars' bench added 10 points, contributing to a consistent scoring effort. The half ended with the Prairie Stars leading 38-24, maintaining a strong advantage going into the break.

The second half began with a strong defensive play as Rice blocked a layup attempt, which set the tone for the Prairie Stars' performance. Despite some turnovers, Rice's assist to Banks for a layup at 17:49 helped maintain an edge. Britton Dutton's back-to-back free throws and a subsequent dunk by Davis at 12:00 bolstered the home team's position, putting them ahead 48-44.

The Prairie Stars extended their lead with Dutton's three-pointer at the 11:14 mark, igniting a key run. Lewis answered by tying the game multiple times down the stretch, keeping it a back-and-forth battle. With 1:31 remaining, Isaiah Davis delivered the dagger, drilling a three-pointer to push UIS ahead by five and put the game on ice. The Prairie Stars secured the 63-58 victory despite being outscored 34-25 in the second half.

Dutton scored 15 points, converting 5 of 12 field goal attempts. Rice contributed with 8 assists and added 8 points. Stell recorded a double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Adidas Davis made an impact on defense with 2 steals and added 4 points.

Illinois Springfield is 16-9 overall and 12-5 in GLVC play, while Lewis holds a record of 4-21 overall and 2-15 in the conference. The Prairie Stars have already clinched a spot in the upcoming GLVC Tournament and now turn their focus to positioning down the stretch.

"Credit to our guys late in the second half," Coach Brock said. "Lewis did a terrific job after halftime, and we got out of our flow and rhythm. I thought our guys made big plays late to get the win. It wasn't a thing of beauty, but you take it any way you can get it in February." 

Up Next
The Senior Day game against Upper Iowa is slated for 3:00 p.m. at TRAC.