The Illinois Springfield men's basketball team battled hard against No. 9 Missouri S&T on Thursday night but came up short, losing 85-78 in a thrilling GLVC showdown at TRAC. With the loss, UIS drops to 9-9 overall and 4-6 in GLVC play, while Missouri S&T improves to 15-1 and remains undefeated at 9-0 in conference action.
"Hats off to Missouri S&T, they are a very good team," shared Coach Brock. "I thought their defense really controlled the game. Moving forward, we need to be more mature and less reactive. The technical fouls really killed our momentum."
Game Summary
- UIS kept pace with the Miners throughout the contest, matching their offensive intensity from the opening tip. The Prairie Stars jumped out to a 6-3 lead before Missouri S&T tied it with a three-pointer. From there, the game turned into a back-and-forth battle, with 10 ties and 17 lead changes throughout the night.
- Jorden Williams hit a three-pointer to level the score at 15-all after UIS had started to slip behind, but Missouri S&T quickly built its first five-point lead. The Miners continued to stretch their lead to five points multiple times, but UIS always found a way to stay in the game. Isaiah Esker once dunked to trim the deficit to three, and Max Kunnert played a pivotal role, converting an and-1 play and later nailing a three-pointer to tie the game at 37 just before halftime.
- The second half featured several intense scoring runs, with both teams finding success in the paint. UIS briefly claimed a 64-62 lead after Tye Banks hit a clutch three-pointer, but the Miners quickly responded with one of their own to retake the advantage, continuing the back-and-forth theme of the evening.
- Missouri S&T's Andrew Young led all scorers with 26 points, hitting several key shots in the final minutes as the Miners pulled away. The Prairie Stars trailed by as many as eight late in the game, but they continued to fight, forcing Missouri S&T to work for the victory.
- UIS ran into costly trouble in the final minutes, trailing 65-64, when a technical foul handed the Miners critical free-throw opportunities. Missouri S&T closed it out with a 15-9 run, converting 8-of-9 free throws during that stretch.
- Despite shooting an efficient 50% from the field and 45% from three-point range, the Prairie Stars couldn't overcome Missouri S&T's ability to convert at the free-throw line (22-of-27) and capitalize on second-chance points (13 points).
- Max Kunnert led with 19 points, shooting 8-of-16 from the field and adding 3 rebounds and 1 assist in 40 minutes. Jack Weber scored 17 points, while Khalil Ross contributed 15. Tye Banks was also a key presence, adding 13 points.
The Prairie Stars will look to bounce back when they return to action this Saturday against Drury on Family Day.
Around the GLVC
Missouri S&T 85, Illinois Springfield 78
Drury 80, Indianapolis 77
Lewis 77, Southwest Baptist 53
William Jewell 67, Quincy 65
Upper Iowa 84, Rockhurst 71
Missouri- St. Louis 91, Maryville 66
Lincoln 73, McKendree 68