Galesburg, IL – Hot shooting MacMurray College handed the Prairie Fire a 97-67 loss to open the season on Thursday night at Memorial Gymnasium.

The Highlanders (1-0) connected on 54 percent from the floor in the first half while holding Knox to 29 percent shooting and built a 42-30 lead at halftime.

The Prairie Fire (0-1) started strong.  A 3-point basket by junior Eric Miller (Villa Park, IL, Willowbrook) with 15:26 to go in the first half gave Knox a 9-3 lead.  The Fire maintained the lead until a field goal by MacMurray’s Dylan Guthrie at the 8:11 mark tied the game at 19-19.

The Highlanders took their first lead at 21-19 with 7:35 left in the half and never looked back.  Senior Lukas Shaw (Portland, OR, U.S. Grant) split a pair of free throws 7:12 before halftime to trim the Prairie Fire’s deficit to a point at 21-20.

MacMurray followed with an 8-0 run for a 29-20 lead with 4:35 ahead of the break.  Two free throws by junior David Jones (Denver, CO, Colorado Academy) about a minute later pulled Knox within 29-22.

The Highlanders scored 10 straight points over the next two minutes to extend their advantage to 39-22.  Three-point baskets by junior Chris McNichols (Skokie, IL, Niles West) and Miller cut the MacMurray lead to a dozen at the intermission.

The Highlanders continued their hot shooting in the second half, knocking down 65 percent – including 4-of-6 from 3-point range.

The Prairie Fire shot much better in the second half, making 7-of-12 attempts from 3-point range and connecting on 56 percent from the floor. 

Knox closed to within nine points at 55-46 on a jumper by first-year Javaka Thompson (Chicago, IL, Whitney Young) with 13:13 left in the game.  Another run, a 10-0 spurt, gave MacMurray College a 65-46 lead at the 11:31 mark.

The Prairie Fire never got closer than 13 points, 72-59 with 9:12 remaining in the contest, the rest of the way. 

The Highlanders shot 60 percent overall, including 10-of-15 from 3-point distance.  MacMurray also made 13-of-21 from the foul line.

Knox finished the game shooting 41 percent, and like MacMurray, made 10 baskets from 3-point range (10-of-24), including 7-of-12 (58 percent) in the second half.  The Prairie Fire also hit 7-of-13 free throws.

The Highlanders held the edge on the glass, outrebounding Knox 33-29 while committing 15 turnovers and forcing 20, including 14 steals.

Shaw led three Prairie Fire players in double-figure scoring with 16 points.  Senior Tyler Olson (Marengo, IA, Iowa Valley) drained four 3-pointers and finished with 13 points while Jones had 10 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.

Luke Bishop paced MacMurray, who had four in double-figures, with 19 points.  He did most of his damage shooting the basketball from long range by hitting 5-of-8 from 3-point range.

Knox begins Midwest Conference play at home against Lake Forest College on November 25.  The tip-off is scheduled at 4:00 p.m.  The game will be streamed live online at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/knox.portal#

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