The Illinois Springfield women's basketball team battled toe-to-toe with Maryville but couldn't withstand a dominant fourth quarter from the Saints, falling 81-68 at TRAC on Saturday afternoon. The Prairie Stars held a five-point lead heading into the final period, but Maryville's red-hot shooting down the stretch proved decisive.
Game Recap
- Maryville struck first, jumping out to an 8-4 lead, but a three-pointer from Kayla Rice and a free throw from Saharra Murphy evened things up. The Saints struggled to find a rhythm early, with turnovers and missed opportunities in the paint keeping UIS within striking distance. At the first quarter break, Maryville led 15-12, making just one more shot than the Prairie Stars.
- The Saints gained some separation in the second quarter, extending their lead to 27-19. UIS battled back to cut the deficit to four by halftime, trailing 31-27 despite shooting just 31% from the field and 15.4% from beyond the arc. Solid free-throw shooting (7-of-8) helped keep the Prairie Stars within reach.
- Momentum shifted in the third quarter when Mandi Pham drilled a three-pointer to put UIS ahead 40-39. Though Maryville quickly responded with a three-point play, the Prairie Stars found their groove, shooting 64.7% from the floor in the period. They outscored the Saints 26-17, taking a 53-48 advantage into the fourth quarter.
- The final frame, however, belonged to Maryville. The Saints made a flawless 9-of-9 free throws while UIS struggled at the line, going just 1-for-3. Even so, the Prairie Stars remained within striking distance with three minutes to play. But Maryville's Claire Rake and Adylan Ayer, who combined for 44 points and nine three-pointers, proved too much to handle, sealing the game for the visitors.
- UIS finished the game shooting 43.1% overall and 30.4% from deep, but Maryville's perfect shooting from three (6-for-6) and the free-throw line (11-for-11) in the fourth quarter proved too much to overcome.
- Kayla Rice led the Prairie Stars with 15 points while also contributing three assists and three rebounds. Diavian Mehundrew added 13 points, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc. Allysia McDaniel was efficient, scoring 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Emari Doby provided a strong presence inside with 10 points and seven rebounds, while Saharra Murphy facilitated the offense with a team-high eight assists.
Up Next
The Prairie Stars wrap up their three-game homestand on Thursday when they host Indianapolis at 5:30 p.m. in another GLVC matchup.
Around the GLVC
Maryville 81, Illinois Springfield 68
Missouri-St. Louis 66, Indianapolis 63
Truman State 84, Southwest Baptist 77
Lewis 77, Lincoln 41
Rockhurst 77, William Jewell 69
Missouri S&T 57, Upper Iowa 55
Quincy 104, Drury 94