The Illinois Springfield men's basketball team was defeated by Central Missouri, 72-58, in a non-conference contest in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday afternoon.

Game Recap

• The Prairie Stars came out strong, racing to a quick 9-0 lead, with seven of those points coming from Khalil Ross. However, Central Missouri responded swiftly, coming back to trail 9-8
• UCM was able to string together several runs throughout the first half, with DeAirius Barker leading the charge with three three-pointers 
• Despite continued efforts from Khalil Ross and Evan Altman, who hit a key three of his own, UIS struggled to maintain their early momentum. By halftime, UCM had taken control with a 32-25 lead
• In the second half, UIS continued to battle. Ross and Altman kept the team in the game with key baskets, but UCM's balanced offense helped extend their lead to 52-41 midway through the period
• While the Prairie Stars played well, particularly with their inside scoring and rebounding, UCM's perimeter shooting and defensive intensity proved to be too much
• The Mules outscored UIS 40-33 in the second half, ultimately securing a 72-58 win
• Khalil Ross led the way with 21 points and 4 rebounds, while Evan Altman added 13 points and 6 rebounds and Max Kunnert chipped in 9 points and 5 rebounds
   

Stats at a Glance
 

	UIS	UCM
Points:	58	72
Field Goals Made:	21-41 (.512)	19-44 (.432)
Three-Point Field Goals Made:	6-11 (.545)	10-21 (.476)
Free Throws Made:	10-15 (.667)	24-27 (.889)
Rebounds:	19	25
Assists:	11	8
Turnovers:	15	13

Up Next
The UIS Prairie Stars will take on the Union Bulldogs tomorrow at 3:15 p.m. at the DoubleTree Thanksgiving Classic.