Daytona Beach, FL – The Prairie Fire leaves Florida with two more wins, capping the trip off with a 106-68 victory on Friday against Presentation College.

The Prairie Fire trailed the Saints 5-0 just 45 seconds into the game and responded with seven straight points to lead 7-5 at the 18:02 mark.

The teams were tied on four separate occasions, the last time at 14-14 with 14:47 in the first half, before Presentation outscored Knox 20-12 over the next 5:30 for a 34-26 lead.  The Prairie Fire answered with a 9-0 run to take the lead back at 35-34 with 7:18 in the opening half.

The Saints scored less than a minute later and led again, 36-35.  Knox took the lead for good at 37-36 when junior Chantal Heckman (Chicago, IL, Latin) came up with a steal and fellow junior Grace Theisen (Minneapolis, MN, Southwest) scored on a layup 6:28 before the first half break.

Theisen’s bucket was the start of a 9-0 run that ended with a score by first-year Alycia Webster (Allen Park, MI, Melvindale) at the 1:16 mark that gave Knox a 46-36 lead.

Presentation scored the final points of the first half on a 3-pointer to cut the Prairie Fire lead down to 46-39.

The second half was all Knox.

Webster opened the scoring for the Prairie Fire on a short jumper for a 48-39 lead.  A layup pulled the Saints within seven points with 19:21 to play.  Knox followed with a 13-4 run that included five straight points on a 3-pointer by Heckman and a layup by sophomore Jodi Marver (Northbrook, IL, Glenbrook North) for a 61-45 lead with 15:45 remaining.

Presentation whittled the Prairie Fire lead to 12 points at 61-49 with about 14:00 to play.  A 16-2 run by Knox dashed any hopes of a comeback by the Saints, who trailed 77-51 with 10:50 left in the game.

Presentation was unable to get any closer than 18 points (77-59) at the 9:36 mark.

Knox went over the century mark with 3:41 to go leading 101-68.  A basket by Heckman and a 3-pointer by Marver ended the scoring for the Prairie Fire.

Knox established season-highs in six team categories: points (106), field goals (49), field goal percentage (49%), 3-point baskets (17), 3-point percentage (39.5%), and assists (20).

The Prairie Fire held Presentation to 29-of-85 (34%) shooting.  The Saints knocked down 10-of-30 (33%) shots from 3-point range and did not attempt a free throw in the game.

Knox scored 32 points off of 32 turnovers by Presentation.  The Prairie Fire outscored the Saints 38-22 in the paint and scored 44 points off the bench compared to 13 bench points for Presentation.

Knox received contributions from several players. 

Marver, who was named to the 2012 Daytona Beach Shootout All-Tournament Team, scored a game-high 24 points.  She was 8-of-17 from the field and made six 3-pointers, a season-high. 

Webster scored 15 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and recorded three steals; Theisen had a season-high 14 points, sophomore Brittney Price (Wyoming, IL, Stark County) connected on four shots from 3-point range for her second straight 12-point game to tie her season-high, Heckman scored eight points and had three steals, sophomore Becky Duffy (Chicago, IL, Northside Prep) dished out a career-best 10 assists and pulled down seven rebounds, and senior Kristin McDonald (Chicago, IL, Regina Dominican) chipped in with seven points, five rebounds, and five steals.

The Prairie Fire goes for a third straight win and fourth in five games overall against Rockford College (1-9) at home on January 2 at 6:00 p.m.  Coverage of the game begins at 5:50 p.m. on the Web at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/knox.portal#

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