Galesburg, IL – Augustana College got off to a fast start and never looked back in an 83-56 win over the Prairie Fire on Wednesday at Memorial Gymnasium.

The Vikings (2-1) scored the first 14 points of the game before sophomore Jodi Marver (Northbrook, IL, Glenbrook North) put Knox on the board by hitting a 3-point basket with 14:38 remaining in the opening half.

Augustana built its biggest lead of the first half at 32-12 at the 5:35 mark.  The Prairie Fire (0-2) cut the deficit to 13 on four different occasions, the last time on a long 3-point basket at the halftime buzzer by senior Kristin McDonald (Chicago, IL, Regina Dominican) that helped pull Knox within 44-31 at the break.

The Prairie Fire struggled to make shots and free throws.  Knox was 9-of-38 from the floor (24 percent) in the first half, including 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) from 3-point range, and just 9-of-18 from the foul line.

Augustana shot 51 percent and sank 8-of-14 free throws over the first 20 minutes.

The start of the second half looked promising for Knox as Marver drilled a 3-point basket to get her team within 10 points at 44-34 with 17:56 to play in the contest.  Unfortunately for the Prairie Fire, the team’s shooting woes continued after the basket. 

Augie went on a 21-6 run over the next 10:00 to build a 65-40 lead and put the game out of reach.  The closest Knox would get the rest of the way was 19 points, 65-46, at the 5:47 mark.

The Prairie Fire managed to make just 8-of-48 shots (17 percent) in the second half and finished at 20 percent overall, including 6-of-44 (14 percent) from behind the 3-point line.  One positive was Knox forced 47 turnovers by the Vikings.

Augustana repeated its first half performance by shooting 51 percent in the second stanza and outrebounded the Fire 71-30.

Marver was one of three Knox players to score in double-figures with 17 points.  Sophomore Becky Duffy (Chicago, IL, Northside Prep) added 11 and McDonald had 10.

Marissa Pezzopane paced the Vikings with game highs of 18 points and 13 rebounds.

The Prairie Fire begins Midwest Conference play at home on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. against Lake Forest College.  The Foresters, picked to finish second in the MWC in the 2012 Preseason Coaches Poll, have split their first two games of the 2012-13 season.

The game between Knox and Lake Forest will be streamed live on the Web beginning at 1:50 p.m. at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/knox.portal#

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