Box Score

Kalaheo, HI - The Prairie Fire men's basketball team had business to take care of before enjoying the many offerings of beautiful Hawaii. Unfortunately for Knox, its opponents on the court weren't as hospitable.

After losing to Edgewood College (WI), Knox prepared to play the University of Dubuque in the final game of the trip on Sunday at Kalaheo High School.  The Prairie Fire was looking to put the brakes on a long losing streak and spend the rest of the trip away from the hardwood.

Dubuque, however, shot the basketball well against the Prairie Fire and earned a 75-61 victory. 

The Spartans (7-3) made 18-of-32 shots in the first half (56 percent) to 14-of-32 (44 percent) for Knox to take a 40-29 lead at halftime.  The key stretch in the first half followed a 20-20 tie with 8:39 to play. Dubuque went on a 13-2 run to take an 11-point advantage at 33-22.

The Spartans stretched the lead to 16 at 49-33 with 15:34 to play in the game.  Knox answered with an 11-3 spurt to cut the deficit to 52-44 at the 10:37 mark.  After Dubuque regained a double-digit lead, the Prairie Fire fought to get within six points on two occasions, the last at 66-60 with 2:23 to play.  The Spartans answered with a 3-point bucket on their next possession and never looked back.

The Fire shot 27-of-63 (43 percent) overall, including 3-of-16 from 3-point range. Knox also struggled at the foul line, finishing 4-for-12.  Dubuque made 30-of-60 from the floor (50 percent) and connected on 10-of-14 free throws.

Sophomore Lukas Shaw (Portland, OR, U.S. Grant) led the Prairie Fire with 19 points.  Junior Joe Kozak (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South) added 12 and junior Ben Wetherbee (Sydney, Australia, Woodstock) had 11. 

The loss was the ninth straight for the Fire (1-9), which is off until January 8 when rival Monmouth College visits Memorial Gymnasium for a Midwest Conference game.