Box Score
GALESBURG, Illinois – The Prairie Fire bounced back from a season-low offensive output with a record-setting performance in a 123-71 Midwest Conference win over Lawrence University on Saturday at Memorial Gym.

Knox, ranked #2 in NCAA Division III in scoring, was averaging 90.6 points before falling 89-62 at Illinois College last Wednesday.  The Prairie Fire hadn't scored fewer than 62 points since putting up 61 against Cornell College on January 28, 2014 – a span of 22 games, or nearly a full regular season.

Knox (7-9, 5-6 MWC) broke out in a big way against the Vikings, setting new school records for points, 3-point baskets, and steals in a game. 

A free throw by junior Saundra Gavazzi (Gilbert, AZ, Chandler) with 3:09 to play broke the previous record of 114 points scored in a win over Beloit at home in January of 2012.  Fittingly, senior Jessica Howard (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) followed a little over a minute later with the Prairie Fire's 18th 3-pointer to surpass the previous all-time mark of 17 against Presentation College on December 21, 2012 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 

Howard hit seven 3-point shots and scored a career-high 28 points for the Prairie Fire. She also drained seven 3-pointers in the 2013-14 season finale at home against Ripon and shares the single-game 3-point record with Abby Owens.  Owens netted seven treys in February of 2012 against Illinois College.

Lawrence (0-15, 0-11 MWC) converted a conventional three-point play to take its first lead at 11-10 since scoring the first basket of the game.  The Prairie Fire began to pull away with a 16-5 run over the next five minutes for a 26-16 advantage with 8:33 remaining in the opening half.

The Vikings answered with two straight offensive put-backs to trim the deficit to six.  Knox regained a double-digit lead at 34-22 thanks to an 8-2 run that included 3-point buckets by juniors Jamie Blue (Urbana, IL, University) and Jasmine Binion (Davenport, IA, Assumption).  Lawrence closed the gap to nine with 5:21 to go, but managed only three baskets and a pair of free throws the rest of the half as the Prairie Fire closed on a 22-8 run to lead 57-34 at the break.

Knox connected on nine 3-pointers and outscored the Vikings 12-4 at the free throw line in the first half.  The Prairie Fire also forced 26 turnovers by Lawrence that led to 23 points.

The Vikings tried to chip away, knocking three points off the deficit with an 8-5 start to the second stanza, but Knox continued to rain down 3-pointers.

Sophomore Molly Lascelles (Ipava, IL, VIT) connected from long-distance, her shot sandwiched between two 3s by senior Jodi Marver (Northbrook, IL, Glenbrook North), to extend the Prairie Fire lead to 71-44 with 15:20 left.

Lawrence could get no closer than 23 points while the lead soared to 52 by the end of the game.

The Prairie Fire shot 52 percent in the second half and finished at 45 percent (40-of-89) overall, including 18-of-48 from 3-point range.  Knox, which also sank 25-of-34 free throw attempts, was one field goal shy of tying the record of 41 set in an 88-20 victory against Lincoln Christian College in January of 2010.

The Prairie Fire converted 44 Viking turnovers into 53 points.  Knox established a new single-game record with 33 steals, passing the previous high of 26 earlier this season against Caltech and during the 2011-12 campaign against Lawrence.

The Vikings shot 43 percent (32-of-76) from the field and 6-of-13 from the foul line. 

Four players joined Howard in double-figure scoring for the Prairie Fire.  Marver had 19 points and dished out a team-high five assists.  Lascelles scored a career-high 15 points and led with five rebounds, first-year Carley Bechen (Eugene, OR, Churchill) added a season-high 14 points to go with five steals, and Blue contributed 13 points.

Knox reached the 100 point mark for the fifth time this season and improved to 5-3 at Memorial Gym.

The Prairie Fire host Monmouth College on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.  The Fighting Scots (7-9, 6-5) stunned first place St. Norbert College 60-58 in OT on Saturday at Glennie Gym for their third straight victory.