The Illinois Springfield men's basketball team heads back on the road this week for matchups against Upper Iowa on Thursday and Lewis on Saturday. The Prairie Stars are looking to build momentum after a strong defensive showing in their win over Indianapolis last week. 

Illinois Springfield (12-12, 7-9 GLVC)
The Prairie Stars are coming off a 68-62 victory over Indianapolis last Thursday at TRAC. Despite trailing 40-34 at halftime, UIS turned up the defensive intensity in the second half, holding UIndy to just 22 points while putting up 34 of their own. The Prairie Stars shot 51.9% from the field, led by Max Kunnert's 18 points.

UIS currently ranks 11th in the GLVC PRS standings as they prepare to take on Upper Iowa, which sits fourth in the rankings.

Upper Iowa (17-8, 11-6 GLVC)
Upper Iowa split its weekend matchups, defeating Maryville 82-73 before falling 70-67 to UMSL. Against Maryville, both teams struggled from three-point range, forcing a battle in the paint. The Peacocks built a 50-42 halftime lead and held off the Saints in the second half, aided by an 18-of-24 performance from the free-throw line. In Saturday's loss to UMSL, Upper Iowa fell just short in a back-and-forth battle, being narrowly outscored in both halves.

Lewis (15-8, 10-6 GLVC)
Lewis enters the week on a two-game streak after securing victories over McKendree and Maryville. The Flyers edged out McKendree 69-64 in a physical matchup, relying on strong inside play and a 37-33 rebounding advantage to overcome turnovers and inconsistent three-point shooting. Against Maryville, the Flyers put on an offensive showcase, cruising to a 100-70 win. After a competitive start, Lewis caught fire from three-point range, shooting 58.3% from deep and 60.9% overall to pull away in the second half.

Lewis currently ranks third in the GLVC PRS standings as of Feb. 15.

Follow Along
Both games will be streamed live on the GLVC Sports Network, with live statistics available online.