Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Missouri S&T was unable to gain ground on the teams it is chasing for a spot in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Thursday night, as Illinois Springfield used a run late in the first half to build a double figure lead and went on to a 77-64 victory.

The Miners trailed throughout much of the first half, falling behind by as many as six in the early going.   They rallied to tie the score at on baskets by Eli Steinbeck (Hermann, Mo./Hermann) and Zach Ellis on back-to-back possessions to prompt a timeout from UIS at the 9:13 mark.

Kyle Gupton drained a three-pointer for the Prairie Stars on their first trip down the floor after the timeout and UIS held the lead for the balance of the half, taking its largest lead of 11 when Regan Bruenger hit a three-pointer just before the first half ended.

Missouri S&T shot only 33 percent in the first half compared to the 50 percent mark by the Prairie Stars, but was able to stay in the game at the free throw line by going 10-of-12 in the first 20 minutes.

Mudi Eruteya's basket just over two minutes into the second half cut the lead to nine, but Gupton nailed consecutive three-pointers to give the Prairie Stars a 15-point advantage.  S&T was able to cut that margin down to nine, but a 6-0 burst by UIS in a span of 35 seconds at the midway point of the half got the lead back to 15 again.

The Miners made one more run at UIS, cutting the lead to nine at 70-61 with 1:26 to go when Nusrath Khan (Morton Grove, Ill./Maine East) hit the second of two free throws after a flagrant foul was called on Bruenger.  S&T had two chances to get even closer, but had a turnover and a missed shot on the two opportunites, which allowed UIS to extend its lead over the final minute.

Eruteya led the Miners with 19 points and Khan was also in double figures with 11, but S&T finished the game by shooting only 34.5 percent for the game.

UIS (7-15, 5-9 GLVC) got 16 points from Gupton and 15 from West Dawson; Gupton connected on three of the Prairie Stars' eight three-pointers in the contest.

The Miners, 6-15 overall and 2-12 in the GLVC, will wrap up their weekend road trip Saturday at Quincy University; game time is 3:15 p.m. at Pepsi Arena.