Illinois Springfield women's basketball (3-4, 1-1 GLVC) picked up its first conference win of the 2025-26 season with a 75-49 victory over William Jewell (0-5, 0-1 GLVC), converting 25 steals into 44 points off turnovers.

The Prairie Stars set the tone early. Allysia McDaniel opened the scoring with a strong layup, and Kennedy Osterman's three-pointer gave UIS a 7-3 lead that the team would hold for the remainder of the game. The UIS defense disrupted William Jewell, generating eight steals in the first quarter alone, and the Prairie Stars closed the frame with a 26-11 advantage.

Illinois Springfield extended its lead in the second quarter, fueled by timely scoring from Osterman, McDaniel, and Julia Mingus. The Prairie Stars forced 10 turnovers in the quarter, building a 43-17 lead by halftime.

UIS came out of halftime with a bit of a lull, but William Jewell was never able to mount a real threat. By mid-third quarter, the Prairie Stars regained their rhythm, with Paula Strzelecki's layup at 6:25, assisted by Mingus, helping build momentum. Molly Knight added a steal and layup just under five minutes left in the quarter, pushing the UIS lead past 20 points. UIS ended the third ahead, 57-36.

The Prairie Stars put the game away in the fourth with consistent scoring in the paint. Osterman hit a three-pointer at 6:46, assisted by Mingus, and Kayla Rice made her presence felt with steals, free throws, and a layup, giving UIS a 66-40 lead. Brooke Spychalski and McDaniel added late baskets, allowing the Prairie Stars to cruise to the 75-49 conference win.

Rice finished with 22 points and a program record of 11 steals in a single game, breaking the previous mark of nine shared by former teammate Sahara Murphy. Osterman added 16 points, connecting on five 3-pointers and grabbing five rebounds. Knight contributed six points and five steals, and McDaniel scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

UIS shot 38.2% from the field and 25% from three-point range, while William Jewell made 34.5% of its shots and 20% from beyond the arc. Both teams were 9-for-12 from the free-throw line. Turnovers were a major factor, as the Cardinals committed 43.

"It's always nice to get a win at home," said head coach Olivia Birt. "We have a fun team, and they were excited for Kayla to set the steals record. It felt like a very complete team win."

Up Next
UIS stays home for games Thursday at 5:30 p.m. against McKendree, and Saturday at 1:00 p.m. versus Maryville.