WARRENSBURG, Mo.– Freddy Lee scored a career-high 26 points, while RJ Glasper scored 17, but the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys basketball team was unable to overcome clutch late play by Illinois-Springfield, as the Wonder Boys (1-2) dropped an 82-71 decision to the Prairie Stars (2-1) on Friday at the UCM Multipurpose Building.
 
NEXT UP

• The Wonder Boys conclude play at the Fairfield Inn Classic on Saturday with a 2 p.m. matchup against William Jewell.   

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The two teams traded leads over the first 15 minutes, with neither team able to seize more than a three-point advantage until UIS pushed ahead by five (34-29) on a Daniel Soetan dunk with 3:55 remaining in the half.
• Those points were part of an 11-0 run by the Prairie Stars that saw UIS claim an 11-point (40-29) advantage with 2:20 remaining. 
• Tech was able to pull back to within three (43-40) in the final minute of the half, but a dunk by Soetan in the closing seconds pushed the UIS lead back to five (45-40) at the intermission.
• The Wonder Boys knotted the contest at 46-46 at the 17:21 mark of the second half on a Kiir Deng layup, and reclaimed the lead at 52-50 after a 3-pointer by Glasper with 14:15 to play.
• Tech could not stretch its lead beyond three, as UIS reclaimed the lead for good with 5:40 to play, breaking a 66-66 tie and outscoring the Wonder Boys 16-5 down the stretch to seal the win.   

NOTABLES

• UIS outshot Tech 52.9 to 39.3 percent from the floor and 30.4 to 29.7 percent from long range.
• UIS connected on 21 of 27 (77.8%) free throw attempts while the Wonder Boys were 12 of 14 (85.7%).
• Tech held a 35-31 rebounding advantage, including a 12-5 advantage on the offensive glass. 
• Tech forced 15 turnovers and committed 14. 
• Will Adler and Mason Cline led Tech with five rebounds apiece, while Lee dished out a team-best five assists.
• UIS held a 34-22 advantage in paint points and an 8-3 advantage on fast break points, while the Wonder Boys outscored UIS 21-8 off turnovers and 7-6 on second-chance buckets.
• There were 12 ties and 11 lead changes.