Box Score
GALESBURG, Illinois – The Prairie Fire rallied from a double-digit deficit midway through the second half and defeated Grinnell College 97-91 in Midwest Conference play on Tuesday at Memorial Gym.

The victory was the third straight for Knox against the Pioneers, who entered the game on a four-game winning streak.

Grinnell (6-7, 4-4 MWC) built its biggest lead at 50-34 with 4:07 remaining in the first half.  First-year Carley Bechen (Eugene, OR, Churchill) scored six straight points for the Prairie Fire, who sliced the deficit to five when first-year Naja Woods (Minneapolis, MN, Southwest) buried a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left.

Grinnell added a free throw before time expired for a 58-52 lead at the break.

Knox (6-7, 4-4 MWC) scored the first eight points of the second half to lead for the first time since early in the game.  A 3-pointer by junior Saundra Gavazzi (Gilbert, AZ, Chandler) and a bucket by first-year Hailey Leinart (Gurnee, IL, Warren Township) capped a 15-4 run that gave the Prairie Fire a 67-62 advantage with 15:00 to play.

The Pioneers ran off 12 consecutive points to regain the lead, which grew to 81-70 with about 9:00 remaining.

Grinnell maintained an eight point cushion with 4:30 left in the game when the Prairie Fire stormed back.

An offensive putback by first-year Erin Orr (Chicago, IL, Oak Park-River Forest) kick-started a 14-0 surge that put Knox over the top.

The Prairie Fire reclaimed the lead at 88-87 on another 3-point basket by Woods with 3:06 to go, and a conventional 3-point play by senior Jodi Marver (Northbrook, IL, Glenbrook North) two minutes later stretched the advantage to six and sealed the come-from-behind victory.

Knox held a 32-15 edge in second chance points thanks to 31 offensive rebounds.  The Prairie Fire also forced 33 turnovers by Grinnell.

Marver led the Prairie Fire with 20 points to go along with eight rebounds.  Sophomore Aly Eastman (Kewanee, IL, Wethersfield) added 12 points while Woods, Bechen, and Orr scored 10 apiece.  Woods grabbed nine rebounds, eight of them on the offensive end, to share team-high honors with junior Jasmine Binion (Davenport, IA, Assumption).

Knox plays next at Midwest Conference leader St. Norbert College (11-2, 8-0 MWC) on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.