Box Score
Galesburg, IL - The Prairie Fire battled back from a double-digit deficit in the second half to force overtime, but Beloit College held Knox in check in the extra period and came away with an 86-76 win.
The Buccaneers (5-9, 4-6 MWC) opened a 20-7 lead seven minutes into the game. A 22-9 Knox run tied the contest at 29-29 at the 1:33 mark. Beloit scored the last three points of the half to lead 32-29 at intermission. Neither team shot well. Beloit connected on 36 percent from the field while Knox shot 24 percent.
The Bucs scored six of the first eight points in the second half built a seven point lead at 38-31 at the 17:20 mark. The Prairie Fire trimmed the deficit to three at 40-37 with 16:02 to play.
Beloit answered with a 15-4 run over the next five minutes to take their biggest lead of the game at 55-41. Knox (3-13, 2-9 MWC) fought back with a 26-14 run and got within two at 69-67 with 2:33 remaining. The teams traded baskets over the next 1:30 and the Prairie Fire forced a Beloit miss to get the ball back with 28 seconds to play.
Senior Tanner Carlson (Annawan, IL, Annawan) sank a jump shot with :19 to play to tie the game at 71-71 and force overtime after the Buccaneers failed to score during their last possession of regulation.
Beloit and Knox were tied at 73-73 and 75-75 when the Bucs put together an 11-1 run over the next 3:07 to earn the win.
The Buccaneers held Knox to 0-for-7 shooting in the extra period while connecting on all three of their shot attempts and 9-of-13 free throws. All five of the Prairie Fire's points in OT came from the foul line.
Beloit connected on 62.5 percent shooting in the second half and finished at 52 percent. Knox shot 45 percent in the second half and 31 percent overall.
Carlson scored a game-high 22 points for the Prairie Fire. Junior Lukas Shaw (Portland, OR, U.S. Grant) had a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. First-year Mitch Murphy (Bushnell, IL, Bushnell-Prairie City/Avon) added 16 points off the bench and senior Joe Kozak (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South) chipped in with 12 points and eight rebounds.
James Lazarcik paced Beloit with 20 points. Both David Bremner (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Tyler Butke (11 points, 10 rebounds) posted double-doubles. Michael Horton added 18 points and eight assists.
The Prairie Fire heads on the road for the next four games. The trip begins in Jacksonville, Illinois where the Fire meets Illinois College on January 28 for the first of two meetings this season.
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