While most students recently returned to UIS to begin the semester, the women’s basketball team stayed behind to train and play games throughout break.

But the Prairie Stars had a tough weekend to start off the spring semester, losing to Saint Joseph’s 65-56 and to the University of Indianapolis 71-53.

Head coach Mark Kost analyzed the first half of the Saint Joseph’s game, saying, “We got off to a pretty good start. Got a nice lead in the first quarter, probably should have extended it. Then in the second quarter we maintained the lead.”

The Prairie Stars finished the first half leading 32-26.

At the time, freshman guard Tehya Fortune led the team with nine points, followed by senior forward Syerra Cunningham with six.

Kost said, “I felt like we should have been up by at least 10 points at the half instead of the six that we were, but I thought we played pretty well in the first half. We gave up some layups, but I’m pretty pleased.”

As the game continued, the Prairie Stars seemed to have lost confidence as the Pumas came out of the first half much fiercer. Still, the Stars put up a strong fight and maintained their lead.

“In the third quarter we broke the lead out of double digits,” said Kost. “The big turning point of the game was in the last 30 seconds of the quarter where they scored the last four points and we were then only up six. In the fourth quarter they went to a 1-3-1 zone, which we practice every day in practice, since we play a little of it too. It didn’t turn us over, we just couldn’t hit anything and we got a little unsettled offensively.”

As the game ended, fans and players were saddened by the turn of events during the game, but Kost still seemed happy with the effort and aggressiveness of Fortune, as well as with Destiny Ramsey, who had some great plays and leadership on the court.

In Saturday’s game versus UIndy, the Prairie Stars took another tough loss, falling to 8-9 overall and 2-7 in the conference.

After losing the game to UIndy 71-53, Kost said, “I am disappointed with how we played offensively. We are a better basketball team than that, but we just didn’t get the job done today.”

Kost mentioned Ramsey as one of the players who performed quite well once again.

Ramsey said, “Like coach said, I’m disappointed because it is definitely not a game we should have lost, let alone by that much. I think we’re a much better team than how we have been playing these last few games. I’m sure we will get it together, come together as a team, and get it done next week.”

The Prairie Stars stuck with UIndy shot for shot until about halfway into the first quarter, when the Greyhounds took a solid lead and kept adding on. At the end of the quarter, the Prairie Stars trailed 22-12.

In the second quarter, the Prairie Stars had an even harder time putting points on the board, only hitting three shots as the Greyhounds expanded their lead to 33-20.

Throughout the third quarter, both teams put a lot of points on the board, but ultimately the difference was too much for the Prairie Stars to overcome as they lost, 71-53.

Ramsey said, “I think we attacked the basket well. We got to the free throw line a lot, but it was not enough so I think the learning tip for next game is to attack the basket even more than we did today.”