Illinois Springfield men's basketball faced a challenging battle against Indianapolis on Saturday, ultimately falling 80-79 in a nail-biting finish. UIS dropped to 6-7 overall and 1-4 in GLVC play, while UIndy improved to 8-5 overall and 2-3 in the GLVC.
Game Recap
- The Prairie Stars struggled to find their rhythm early, allowing Indianapolis to seize control by capitalizing on UIS turnovers. The Greyhounds quickly built a solid lead, aided by early three-pointers from Zach Szul.
- UIS fought hard to stay within range but struggled to capitalize on their scoring chances. Early in the game, Indianapolis took advantage of turnovers and controlled the boards. Szul's three-pointers helped the Greyhounds build momentum, pushing their lead to double digits.
- At the 6:40 mark, Nate Shockey hit a much-needed three-pointer to trim the deficit slightly. Although the Prairie Stars showed flashes of offensive strength, Indianapolis quickly countered to keep UIS from building significant momentum.
- Defensively, UIS had some bright spots, particularly with Evan Altman, Tye Banks, and Max Kunnert contributing rebounds.
- The Greyhounds led 43-32 at halftime, shooting 38.1% compared to 46.4% by UIS. UIndy's eight first-half three-pointers were a key factor in their lead, and they had yet to commit a turnover, while UIS struggled with 10 turnovers, leading to 10 points for the Greyhounds. The Prairie Stars, meanwhile, failed to record a steal or score off an unearned turnover.
- Khalil Ross led UIS with seven points at the break, with scoring spread across the team.
- The Prairie Stars came out with renewed energy in the second half, slowly chipping away at the deficit. With just under 15 minutes remaining, UIS closed the gap to 10 points. Max Kunnert played a pivotal role in an 8-0 run, hitting a crucial three-pointer to bring UIS within six points and pushing his total to 12 points on the game.
- As the game entered its final minutes, UIS mounted a comeback. A layup from Kunnert put the Prairie Stars up 67-66, followed by a jumper from Ross that extended the lead to three points. However, Indianapolis responded with a seven-point run, led by Tucker Tornatta, putting the Greyhounds back in front.
- With 20 seconds remaining, UIndy took a two-point lead and blocked a shot by Britton Dutton. The ball ricocheted to Shockey's feet, and after a scramble, UIS regained possession on a jump ball.
- A pair of free throws from UIndy put the Prairie Stars in a difficult position with the clock ticking down. Evan Altman hit a three-pointer with less than one second on the clock to bring UIS within one. However, UIndy inbounded the ball with just 0.2 seconds remaining and managed to run out the clock, securing the 80-79 victory.
- UIS recorded a field goal percentage of 47.6% and 37.5% from three-point range, while UIndy posted shooting marks of 38.9% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
- Evan Altman led the team with 16 points, while Max Kunnert added 15 and Khalil Ross contributed 14. Tye Banks had a solid performance, recording 8 points and 8 rebounds.
The Prairie Stars look for their second conference win as they continue the GLVC slate. UIS will return home to host Truman State on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
GLVC Results