Publish Date


UIS men's basketball came up just short in a thrilling finish against Northern Michigan, falling 85-83 after a last-second three-pointer by the Wildcats. Despite an all-around solid performance, the Prairie Stars couldn't withstand NMU's late-game heroics in Saturday afternoon's non-conference showdown. 

Game Recap
  • UIS opened the game strong, jumping out to a 9-2 lead early
  • The Prairie Stars shot .674 from the field in the first half, with Jack Weber leading the way with 10 points. UIS took a 48-42 lead into the break
  • The Prairie Stars dominated in the paint, scoring 20 of their first-half points inside, while Northern Michigan shot .542 from the field. However, the Wildcats allowed UIS 19 free-throw attempts, of which the Prairie Stars converted 16
  • After the halftime break, the teams traded blows, but UIS kept control of the lead
  • The Prairie Stars, led by Khalil Ross and Weber, held on to their lead for nearly the entire second half, though Northern Michigan gradually made up the deficit
  • With under 15 seconds remaining, each team made a pair of free throws, leaving UIS with an 83-82 lead and setting the stage for a dramatic finish
  • After a missed free throw by UIS, Northern Michigan's Julien Smith hit a deep three-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Wildcats an 85-83 lead and sealing the victory
  • Khalil Ross led the team with 17 points, while Jack Weber added 16. Max Kunnert contributed 13 points, and Braden McGlothlin finished with 8 points and 3 assists

From the Box Score
Points: UIS 83, NMU 85
Field Goals Made: UIS 29-43 (.674), NMU 32-59 (.542)
Three-Point Field Goals Made: UIS 4-10 (.400), NMU 11-27 (.407)
Free Throws Made: UIS 21-28 (.750), NMU 10-18 (.556)
Rebounds: UIS 24, NMU 22
Assists: UIS 8, NMU 16
Turnovers: UIS 16, NMU 8

Up Next
UIS, now 2-1, will meet Central Missouri on Tuesday, Nov. 26, and Union (Tenn.) on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at Drury's DoubleTree Thanksgiving Classic.