Box Score
The Prairie Fire had one of those nights when the shots just wouldn't fall and it proved costly as Ripon College won 64-49 Friday night on their home floor at Wyman Gymnasium.
The contest was the Midwest Conference opener for both teams. The Red Hawks were trying to avoid a three-game losing skid while Knox was hoping to avoid dropping its second straight. The game was the second of four in a row on the road for the Prairie Fire (1-3, 0-1 MWC).
Knox shot a frigid 23 percent in the first half, hitting just 6-of-26 attempts -- including four misses from three-point range. Sophomore Kristin McDonald (Chicago, Illinois) scored the first basket of the game at the 18:17 mark for a 2-0 lead. The Purple and Gold would lead one last time at 4-2 on a bucket by senior Jenny Haskell (Murphys, California).
Ripon (2-2, 1-0 MWC) scored the next six points after five consecutive empty possessions by the Prairie Fire -- three turnovers and two missed shots -- for a 10-4 lead with 12:23 to play in the half. Knox never could get into an offensive rhythm and Ripon ended the half on a 19-10 run, aided in part by 16 first-half Prairie Fire turnovers. The Red Hawks took a 29-14 lead into the locker room.
The Prairie Fire was much better over the final 20 minutes, playing even with the Red Hawks 35-35 on the scoreboard.
Knox scored five of the first seven points of the second half courtesy of a jumper by sophomore Sara Johnson (Grinnell, Iowa) and a three-point basket by junior Lynn Mueller (Woodridge, Illinois) following a steal by Haskell to get within 12 at 31-19 with 18:18 to play.
Ripon responded with six points to increase the lead to 18 after the Fire missed two free throws and four shots. The Fire didn't quit and made a game of it after a 9-0 run sliced the deficit to eight at 45-37 at the 9:44 mark. Ripon answered right back, scoring six of the next seven points to reclaim a double digit lead and thwart any hopes of a Prairie Fire comeback.
The Red Hawks shot 50 percent in the second half (14-of-28) and 43.6 percent overall (24-of-55). The Fire made 11-of-31 shots from the floor in the second half and connected on 12-of-19 (63 percent) from the free throw line in the game. Both teams struggled from long range -- Ripon was 3-of-11 and Knox 3-of-16. The Fire took better care of the basketball in the second half, committing just five turnovers for a total of 21. The Red Hawks turned the ball over 19 times.
Williams was the only Knox player to reach double figures with 16 points off the bench. She tied Ricketts for team-high honors by grabbing nine rebounds and had four steals. Ricketts, who entered the game with a double figure scoring average (13 ppg), was held to 1-of-10 shooting and six points. Mueller added nine points, four rebounds and three steals while Haskell chipped in with eight points and five rebounds.
Katie Raymond led Ripon with 19 points, Emily Meyer recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds -- the ninth of her career -- and Chelsea Aicher scored 12 points and snagged six rebounds off the bench.
The Prairie Fire resumes play Saturday against Midwest Conference foe Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The tip-off is at 3:00 p.m. The Pioneers are off to a 4-1 start, including a 72-67 win in their Midwest Conference opener Friday night at home against Lake Forest College.
