Good free-throw shooting and a smothering defense helped Prairie overcome an eight-point halftime deficit and beat Iowa City High, 44-35, in a Mississippi Valley Conference boys basketball game at Prairie on Friday night.

The Prairie defense held the Little Hawks to just five points in the third quarter and four points in the final period.

Matt MacDougall led the way for Prairie (3-6, 2-3) with 16 points, including 10 for 10 at the foul line. He also grabbed 13 rebounds for a double-double.

Point guard Jerome Frazier’s experience and leadership helped Prairie control the game and get the win. He contributed 12 points.

“At halftime Coach (James Moses) told us that we needed to keep our head up and get back in the game. It was our game to win, and we went out and did it,” said Frazier.

Prairie's defense got the ball time after time, only to be denied at the offensive end during the third quarter. The Hawks produced 17 points in the fourth quarter to put it away.

MacDougall hit four free throws down the stretch and Matt Jantzen chipped in a couple to ice the game.

“Coach always says play defense and push the ball, and that is what we did," said MacDougall. "Man, it was physical. We really work hard on defense in practice and it really paid off tonight.

"I couldn’t think about my free throws; just go up there and put them in," he said. "It worked."

“Fundamentals,” said Moses. “The key to the game was that we controlled the ball in the second half. When we were missing shots in the third quarter, I just told them that we just had to find a way and defense gave us the confidence to put us over the top."

Iowa City High (0-8, 0-5) was led by Ronald Thompson and Cortez Barfield with seven points apiece.

IOWA CITY HIGH (35): Simpson 2 0-0 6, J. Johnson 0 0-0 0, McNulty 2 0-0 4, Thompson 3 1-2 7, Perry 1 0-0 2, Barfield 3 1-1 7, Duncan 1 0-0 3, Chester 1 0-0 2, A.Johnson 2 0-0 4. Totals 15 2-5 35.

PRAIRIE (44): Frazier 5 2-4 12, Jantzen 1 2-2 4, Lafferty 0 0-0 0, MacDougall 3 10-10 16, Boots 1 2-2 5, Eilers 0 0-0 0, Aune 3 0-0 7, Hilgenkamp 0 0-0 0, Kehoe 0 0-2 0, Rasmussen 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 16-20, 44.

Halftime – Iowa City High 26, Prairie 18. 3-point goals – Iowa City High 3 (Simpson 2, Duncan), Prairie 2 (Aune, Boots).