Box Score

            The UW-Parkside men's basketball team leveled its Great Lakes Valley Conference record at 3-3 after a 67-59 triumph over Illinois-Springfield. The game was contested in the DeSimone Gymnasium Saturday afternoon. The Rangers are now 6-7 overall.

            The Prairie Stars (4-9, 0-6 GLVC) held the lead up until the 4:40 mark of the first half when Sam Katula banked a floating jumper in the lane high off the glass for a 23-22 Ranger lead. The Rangers out-scored Illinois-Springfield, 5-1, the rest of the way and held a 28-23 lead at half.

            Parkside scored the first six points of the second half and eventually extended its lead to as many as 17 points with 16:52 to go in the game. However, the Rangers then fell victim to cold shooting and could not muster a field goal for nearly nine minutes. Thanks to free throws and a scrappy defense, Parkside still was on top when the cold spell ended.

            Katula ended the drought with a three-pointer from the top of the key to give his team a 49-42 cushion with 8:50 to go in the game. Illinois-Springfield then went on a 5-0 run to pull within a conventional bucket, but that was as close as the Prairie Stars could get.

            Jordan Mach, who scored 19 points in the game, defused any Prairie Star momentum with a three-ball from the deep right corner with 1:41 to go. His clutch shot gave the Rangers a three-possession lead at 60-53. Leneal Harris knocked down a contested 15-footer and added four free throws the rest of the way to put the game away.

            Harris led the Rangers in the score book with 22 points. Katula ended with 11 points.

            The Rangers will play their first road game in over a month in their next game. The team will be at Quincy Thursday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m.