Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.-  The UIndy women's basketball squad (9-2, 3-0 GLVC) continued its winning streak with a hard-fought 82-77 win at Illinois Springfield Thursday night.  The evening featured 13 ties and nine lead changes, with 10 stalemates coming in the second half alone.

The result bumped the Greyhounds' win streak to nine while also snapping the Prairie Stars' three-game run.   

Kristin Turner and Katy McIntosh combined for 52 points, as each set new personal highs.  Turner poured in 29 and McIntosh added 23, marking the first time two Greyhounds scored 20 or more in a game since Jan. 21, 2010.

With the scoreboard reading 69-69 and 2:45 to go, Turner drained a triple to earn the game's first lead of more than two points in over eight minutes of play.

After a UIS turnover, Turner drew a foul and made good on both free throws to push the lead to five.  The home team would creep within one point with 90 seconds left but would not retake the lead.

McIntosh helped ice it by going 6-for-6 from the line from that point.  Sophomore Chas Lecher also added a bucket and a block in the game's final minute.

When asked about the final stretch, Head Coach Constantin Popa explained that his players “kept their composure and kept fighting.  We realized our shots weren't falling from the outside so we didn't push the issue too much.

"We definitely had some big threes at the right time, but we were disciplined enough towards the end to drive the ball to the basket – especially on certain defenders that were in foul trouble – so we got the line and made our free throws.”

Illinois Springfield (6-5, 1-2) jumped all over the Greyhounds early, scoring the game's first six points and 15 of the first 20.  UIS, who came into the night averaging a GLVC-high 17.8 offensive rebounds per contest, corralled four offensive boards in the early going.

The quick 10-point hole marked the largest deficit UIndy has faced since the first half of the season opener back on Nov. 12.

Nevertheless, the Stars' lead dissipated almost as quickly as it emerged, as the Hounds engineered a 14-2 run to earn their first lead at 19-17.  McIntosh sparked the rally, as her penetration resulted in three straight lay-ups.

The Greyhounds led by as many as six later in the first half, but the home Prairie Stars chipped away at the margin to eventually garner a 34-32 lead at the break.

After a healthy back-and-forth in the first five minutes of the second half, UIndy again built a small cushion, this time leading by as many as eight points with 12-and-a-half to go.  Turner led the way by scoring seven consecutive points for the Hounds.

The see-saw action continued as the resilient Prairie Stars nailed three quick 3-pointers to help knot it at 58 apiece midway through the final period.

Neither team could muster much momentum from that point, as neither led by more than a deuce until Turner's aforementioned 3-pointer.

With starting forward Sydney Weinert battling foul trouble, Lecher, Dajana Jovanovic and Eliza Wortman all put in quality time in the Greyhound front court.  The trio combined for 18 points, 10 rebounds and five steals.

UIS Sophomore Elizabeth Kelly led the Prairie Stars with 18 points and 14 rebounds.

“I'm proud and happy that eventually we were able to get the 'W',” added Popa. “Illinois Springfield played a really good game tonight but we were able to hit some big shots and come out on top.

“We had some big help from our bench players who gave us good minutes.  I'm happy with everyone that stepped on the floor tonight because they all contributed.  It was a good win.”

The Hounds head to Western Illinois for a meeting with the Quincy Lady Hawks Saturday afternoon.  Tip time from Pepsi Arena is set for 2 p.m. Eastern.