Springfield, Ill. – A cold shooting first half stifled the Missouri Southern Lions as they fell 73-69 to the University of Illinois-Springfield Prairie Stars Friday night at The Recreation and Sports Center (TRAC).

The Prairie Stars (3-1) opened the game on a 7-0 run forcing a Missouri Southern (2-4) time out at the 8:40 mark of the opening quarter. The Lions wouldn't get on the board until about a minute later when junior Bri Shavers-McNeace sank one of two charities to make it 7-1 UIS. The lead would grow to 14-1 before junior Kayla Kivinski sank a jumper that halted the second 7-0 run by UIS. That jumper sparked a 13-0 run by the Lions to tie the game at 14-14 with 48 seconds left in the quarter.

The second quarter opened with a pair of free throws for UIS and a senior Deb Holcomb drained a bunny to tie the game back at 16-16, but the Prairie Stars opened a four point lead before Shavers-McNeace hit a jumper to pull the Lions back within two at 20-18. After a pair of old fashioned three point plays, UIS built a 26-20 lead before a 5-1 run for Southern capped off with a three pointer from Kivinski once again pulled the Lions within two at 27-25 with 2:45 left in the half. UIS answered back with a 7-0 run to make it 34-25 before a pair of free throws from junior Jasmine Green sent the Lions into the locker room trailing 34-27.

UIS picked up where they left off with a 4-0 run to give the Prairie Stars their largest lead of the night at 38-27 before back-to-back threes from sophomore Chelsey Henry made it a five point ball game, 38-33, just over two minutes into the third quarter. A layup from Holcomb, two minutes later, cut the UIS lead down to 41-37 and put Southern back in business. A pair of free throws from sophomore Desirea Buerge at the 4:46 mark and a pair from Kivinski 38 seconds later tied the game at 41-41. The Prairie Stars then rattled off a 7-0 run to make it 48-41 with just over 90 ticks left in the third, before a Buerge free throw ended that run to make it a six point ball game. A charity from Henry made it 48-43 headed into the fourth.

A three from Holcomb on the opening possession of the fourth cut the UIS lead down to two before a jumper from Henry tied it at 50-50 with 7:32 to play. UIS rattled off another 6-0 run to pull away from the Lions. The closest Southern would get after that was one point, 56-55 at the 5:22 mark, after a 5-0 run from Buerge.

Southern shot just 31.8 percent, 21-for-66, after shooting 8-for-29 in the first half. Holcomb led Southern with 18 points while Buerge and Kivinski each added 13. Buerge led the Lions on the boards with nine while Holcomb, junior Jenson Maydew, and sophomore Shannon Mitchell each pulled down five.

Southern will travel to Quincy on Sunday for a 1 p.m. game against the Hawks to close out their Thanksgiving weekend road trip.