The UIS women's basketball team will host its first home game of the 2024-25 season on Thursday night at 6:00 p.m. The Prairie Stars, seeking their first win of the season, will welcome NAIA opponent Stephens College to TRAC.
Illinois Springfield (0-2)
The Prairie Stars faced a challenging start to their season, going winless in the Regional Crossover against two GMAC teams. On Friday night, UIS opened the season against Tiffin. Despite an early 9-point deficit, the Prairie Stars rallied, tying the game at 17 after a Kayla Rice three-pointer. They built a small lead and held a 33-27 advantage at halftime. Tiffin fought back in the third quarter, briefly taking the lead, but UIS regained a 48-46 edge heading into the fourth. The Prairie Stars led for much of the final period until a late Tiffin run put them ahead for good. UIS was held scoreless in the last two minutes, resulting in a hard-fought 70-63 loss. Kayla Rice led all scorers with 17 points.
On Saturday, UIS took on Hillsdale. The Prairie Stars stayed close in the first quarter, but Hillsdale took control and led by as many as 27 points, ultimately securing a 76-52 win. Emari Doby led UIS with 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting.
The Prairie Stars now look to turn things around in their home opener on Thursday.
Stephens College (2-2)
The Stephens Stars competed in the Tabor Classic last weekend, splitting their weekend 1-1. On Friday night, Stephens faced the host team, Tabor College. Tabor took control early, establishing a 10-point lead in the first quarter and maintaining a comfortable double-digit advantage throughout the game. Stephens made a push in the fourth quarter, but a timely three-pointer from Tabor sealed the Blue Jays' lead. LaiJanique Perry-Ellis led Stephens with 18 points in the 67-54 loss.
On Saturday, Stephens took on the Bethany Swedes. The Stars started strong with an 11-2 lead, but Bethany rallied, trailing by just one after the first quarter and holding a narrow four-point lead at halftime. The Swedes kept the lead through the third quarter, but Stephens dominated the fourth, outscoring Bethany 26-8 to secure a 72-56 victory. Perry-Ellis shined again, scoring a game-high 25 points on 8-for-13 shooting.