Monmouth, IL – The Prairie Fire played a strong first half but was unable to hand nationally ranked Monmouth College its first loss of the season.

The Fighting Scots (9-0, 5-0 MWC) downed Knox 107-85 in a Midwest Conference game at Glennie Gym on Sunday afternoon to remain atop the league standings.  Monmouth entered the contest ranked by two sports media outlets: #24 in both the USA Today Sports Coaches’ and the D3hoops.com polls. 

Sophomore Jodi Marver (Northbrook, IL, Glenbrook North) had a big first half, pouring in 21 points, which matched her career-high, in just eight minutes of playing time.  She knocked down five 3-point baskets and established a new career-best point total with 26 in 18 minutes on the floor.

The first half featured three ties and six lead changes.  Knox (2-6, 2-4 MWC) held its biggest lead at 15-10 with 14:48 to go before halftime.  After the teams were tied for the last time at 34-34 at the 4:03 mark, Monmouth went on a 14-7 run for a 48-41 advantage at halftime, the largest lead of the game. 

The Fighting Scots, the best shooting team in the Midwest Conference and 10th-best in NCAA Division III at 45.3%, shot 49% (21-of-43) and made 6-of-8 free throws in the first half.  The Prairie Fire connected on 14-of-44 shots overall and 7-of-22 from 3-point range, both totals 32%, while sinking 6-of-9 attempts from the foul line.

Monmouth’s Paige Nord opened the second half with a traditional 3-point play to give the Scots their first double-figure lead of the game at 52-41.  Knox made it a nine point game at 52-43 on a pair of free throws by sophomore Becky Duffy (Chicago, IL, Northside Prep) a little over 90 seconds into the second half.

Back-to-back baskets by Monmouth increased the lead to 56-43 at 17:26.  The Prairie Fire sliced the deficit to nine points again, 56-47, with 16:12 in the contest following a 3-pointer by senior Kristin McDonald (Chicago, IL, Regina Dominican) and a free throw by sophomore Jessica Howard (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg). 

The Fighting Scots answered with a 10-0 run over the next 2:40 to go up 66-47.

Knox fought back to within 14 points, 84-70, on two free throws by junior Chantal Heckman (Chicago, IL, Latin) with 5:46 remaining.  Monmouth scored 12 of the next 18 points to increase the lead to 96-76 with 3:17 to play and put the game out of reach.

The Fighting Scots, who outscored the Prairie Fire 70-32 in the paint, continued their hot shooting in the second half.  Monmouth shot 52% in the second stanza and made 44-of-87 (51%) attempts from the floor overall.  The Scots also hit 19-of-27 (70%) free throws.

Monmouth College’s Zipporah Williams scored 19 of her game-high 31 points in the second half.  She grabbed 17 rebounds, 10 of them on the offensive end, for a double-double.  Marla Willard also had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds to go along with five blocks.

The Prairie Fire made 13-of-36 (36%) shots in the second half and finished the game 27-of-80 (34%).  Knox made 10-of-37 (27%) baskets from behind the 3-point line and made 21-of-34 (62%) free throws.  The Prairie Fire entered the game seventh in Division III with an average of nine 3-point baskets per game. 

Knox had 15 steals, just shy of the squad’s average of 16.4 per game – which also ranks #7 in the country.  Monmouth, however, held the edge in points off of turnovers 30-21.  The Fighting Scots outrebounded the Prairie Fire 60-47, although Knox pulled down 20 offensive rebounds to 19 for Monmouth.  The Scots outscored the Prairie Fire 26-18 in second chance points.

Two other Knox players scored in double-figures besides Marver.  McDonald had a season-high 15 points, five assists, and four steals.  First-year Alycia Webster (Allen Park, MI, Melvindale) scored eight of her 10 points in the second half.

The Prairie Fire travels to Florida to play in the Daytona Beach Shootout.  Knox meets Fontbonne University (MO) on December 19 at 2:00 p.m. EST and Presentation College (SD) on December 21 at 12:00 p.m. EST

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