Box Score Illinois Springfield shot 76% in the second half to earn a 79-68 victory over UW-Parkside on Thursday night at the DeSimone Gymnasium. The Rangers fall to 8-5 on the year (1-4 GLVC) while the Prairie Stars improved to 6-8 (3-2 GLVC).

Leneal Harris led Parkside with 18 points while Conrad Krutwig added 11 points and eight rebounds. Lester Hart led UIS with 23 and Jermaine Love-Roberts had 20.

Springfield grabbed an early 13-12 lead before the Rangers rushed back with seven straight points. A three by Leneal Harris and a tip-in by Colt Grandstaff made it 19-13 midway through the first half.

The Prairie Stars responded quickly scoring seven of the next nine points to make it 21-20 in favor of the home team. Grandstaff was able to push the lead back to seven on a slashing lay-up before UIS cut it back to a pair.

A three-point play by Sam Katula got the lead to 32-25 with just over two minutes remaining in the first half. Both teams picked up their defense for the rest of the period to establish the halftime margin.

Springfield scored the first six out of the locker room to immediately trim the lead to one before a three-point play by Harris pushed it back up to four.

The Prairie Stars cut the lead to one on a couple of occasions before a quick spurt by the Rangers. Harris knocked scored twice including a three and Ziggy Riauka added a put back to give Parkside its biggest lead of eight with 13:09 left.

But in a game of runs, Springfield answered with another quick one of their own. The Prairie Stars rattled off seven straight points in just 1:39 to once again make it a one point game and got it back to even for the first time in the second half on a Kentrell King lay-up.

Conrad Krutwig came up with a big three-point play to quell the rally and put the Rangers back in front at 53-50 but UIS rebounded with a 15-4 run to open up an eight point lead with four minutes left.

The Rangers were unable to get closer than six the rest of the way as the Prairie Stars were able to hold off the home team and improve to 3-2 in conference play. UIS outscored the Rangers 54-36 in the decisive second half.

Parkside will finish its weekend home stand on Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. tip against Quincy. It'll be the Rangers last home game before three straight on the road beginning Monday at Lewis.