Box Score

Galesburg, Ill. – The Prairie Fire mounted a furious rally but couldn't get over the hump in a 92-85 loss to Ripon College in the season finale on Saturday at Memorial Gym.

Knox refused to fold after the Red Hawks led by double-digits in both halves.  Senior Eric Miller (Villa Park, IL, Willowbrook) hurt Ripon with a huge first half and junior Armand Stricklin (Lee's Summit, MO, Lee's Summit West) was the primary force for the Prairie Fire in the second half.

The Red Hawks built a 27-18 lead at the 8:48 mark.  The Prairie Fire answered with a 12-4 run on the strength of four 3-point field goals to pull within 31-30 about four minutes later.

Ripon (15-8, 12-6 MWC) followed with 11 straight points to extend the lead to 41-31 with 3:09 left in the first half.  Knox knocked a point off of the deficit and trailed 47-38 at halftime.

Miller, who was one of six Prairie Fire seniors recognized before the game as part of Senior Day, poured in 21 points – including five 3-pointers – in the opening stanza.

Knox netted 9-of-19 treys and shot 44 percent overall in the first half.  The Red Hawks were effective shooting from 3-point range as well, connecting on 6-of-11 while hitting on 47 percent from the field and 9-of-10 free throw attempts.

Ripon appeared on its way to blowing the game wide open early in the second half.  The Red Hawks led 60-43 with 17:10 to play on an offensive put-back.

Stricklin helped the Prairie Fire claw their way back, scoring 15 straight points for his team to close the gap to 78-71 following a pair of free throws with 7:39 remaining.

Knox continued its run at Ripon with back-to-back baskets by first-year Mike Martin (Metamora, IL, Metamora) to whittle the deficit to three at 78-75.  A bucket by senior David Jones (Denver, CO, Colorado Academy/Air Force Academy) and a 3-pointer from Miller sandwiched between four points scored by the Red Hawks' Ty Sabin brought the Prairie Fire back to within two at 82-80 with 3:44 left in the contest.

Knox needed a defensive stop to get the ball back and have a chance to tie the game or take the lead, but an offensive rebound and basket by Sabin gave Ripon a four point advantage.

The Prairie Fire (1-22, 0-18) kept it a one possession game at 86-83 after Striklin buried two free throws, but couldn't get any closer.  The Red Hawks sank four straight foul shots while holding Knox scoreless to increase the lead to seven with only seven seconds to go.

Miller hit a jumper with a few ticks left on the clock and Ripon drained two more foul shots to account for the final points of the game.

The Prairie Fire shot 57 percent in the second half and 50 percent (30-of-60) overall, including 15-of-30 from behind the 3-point line – four short of the team record.

The Red Hawks finished 48.5 percent (33-of-68) from the field and made 19-of-20 free throws to outscore Knox by nine at the stripe.

Miller finished with six 3-pointers and a career-high 26 points to go with five assists for the Prairie Fire.  Stricklin was 4-of-5 from 3-point range and added a career-best 20 points, all of them in the second half.  Martin chipped in with 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds and Jones had 10 points, four rebounds, and two blocks.

Sabin scored a game-high 34 points to lead Ripon, which earned the #3 seed in the Midwest Conference Tournament next week.

Miller, Jones, and fellow seniors Chris McNichols (Skokie, IL, Niles West), Mackinzie Chapman (Sheffield, IL, Annawan), Adam Worden (Monee, IL, Crete-Monee), and team manager Ben Schlotter were each recognized prior to the final game of their college careers.