Friday, January 3, 2014

UIS starts conference play in new division

There are big changes for the University of Illinois Springfield men’s basketball team in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

UIS has switched from the traditionally weaker West Division to the seemingly more competitive East Division. The Stars’ move is due to the addition of Truman State and departure of Kentucky Wesleyan in the conference. The change puts UIS in a division with four nationally ranked and undefeated teams, No. 2 Bellarmine, No. 8 Southern Indiana, No. 16 Indianapolis and No. 22 Lewis — all teams that belonged to the East Division last season.

UIS (4-4, 0-0) kicks off conference play with a pair of home games at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Maryville (6-3, 0-1) and at 3 p.m. Sunday against Missouri-St. Louis (7-2, 1-0).

The story was published in The State Journal-Register on January 3, 2014.

Read the article onlin