UIS jumped out to an early lead behind a pair of layups from Alex Stell and Tye Banks. The Prairie Stars continued to apply pressure, as Banks scored on consecutive possessions to extend the advantage to 10-5 at the 16:30 mark. Kentucky Wesleyan responded to make it a close game midway through the half, tying the score at 25-25 with 7:45 remaining. The teams traded the lead down the stretch, and the Panthers closed the half with a last-second jumper to take a 40-39 advantage into halftime.
In the second half, UIS made several pushes to stay within striking distance. Britton Duttonprovided a spark with a key tip-in and a strong defensive rebound, while three-pointers from Isaiah Davis and Rice helped trim the deficit late. Kentucky Wesleyan, however, maintained control by converting key free throws down the stretch, outscoring UIS 47-42 in the second half.
Rice led the Prairie Stars with 19 points, including three three-pointers, and added eight assists. Banks finished with 17 points and three offensive rebounds. Davis scored 15 points while going a perfect 5-for-5 at the free-throw line, and Stell added 12 points and eight rebounds.
“Kentucky Wesleyan is a very good team, and I give them credit,” said head coach Matt Brock. “We had a hard time with their physicality around the rim and on the boards. We needed to get a couple more stops and couldn’t do it tonight.”
The Prairie Stars now stand at 7-3 overall and remain perfect at 4-0 in GLVC play. Kentucky Wesleyan improves to 7-4 overall with a 2-2 mark in G-MAC competition.
Up Next
UIS will meet Missouri Baptist at TRAC on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
