Box Score
APPLETON, Wisconsin – The Prairie Fire won their third straight Midwest Conference game and swept the season series against Lawrence University with a 94-80 road victory on Saturday.

Knox won back-to-back games two other times this season but couldn't pick up that elusive third consecutive victory.  The Prairie Fire did it this time, one week after a convincing 123-71 win at home against Lawrence that included new single-game team records for points, 3-point baskets (18), and steals (33).

Knox (9-9, 7-6 MWC), with five games still left on the schedule, has seven MWC victories – the most since the 2012-13 season.  The Prairie Fire last finished above the .500 mark in league play, and overall, during the 1996-97 campaign (14-10, 10-4 MWC).  That was also the last season Knox advanced to the Midwest Conference tournament.

Lawrence (0-17, 0-12 MWC) got off to a good start and built a 19-11 lead with 12:38 remaining in the first half.  The Prairie Fire erased the eight point deficit with a 14-0 run that included six free throws from senior Jodi Marver (Northbrook, IL, Glenbrook North) to pull ahead 25-19 less than two minutes later.

The Vikings regained the lead with a 7-0 surge that gave them a 38-35 edge with 2:33 left.

Knox outscored Lawrence 8-1 over the final 2:05 of the first half for a 45-40 advantage at the break.

The Prairie Fire hit 19-of-26 free throws in the opening half compared to 7-of-14 for the Vikings, who also committed 23 turnovers that led to 23 points.

Lawrence forced the fifth tie of the game, 49-49, on a jumper with 17:29 to play.  A basket by junior Jasmine Binion (Davenport, IA, Assumption) sparked a 7-0 run that gave Knox a 56-49 lead with 16:00 left.

The Vikings closed the gap to two before the explosive Prairie Fire offense got going again and pushed the lead to 71-59 midway through the second half.

Lawrence chipped away and trailed by just five, 77-72 with 5:14 remaining.  Buckets by senior Jessica Howard (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) and Marver provided some breathing room, and Knox went on to take its biggest lead at 91-76 to put the game out of reach.

The Prairie Fire shot 39 percent (29-of-74) overall and made only four 3-pointers, but took advantage of 32 fouls called on Lawrence by sinking 32-of-50 foul shots and converting 33 LU turnovers into 29 points.

Free throws were ultimately the difference in the game as Knox outscored the Vikings by 14 points at the line.  Lawrence converted 18-of29 attempts.

Marver led the Prairie Fire with 20 points, including a 14-of-18 effort at the foul line for the second straight game.  Four others added eight points apiece – junior Jamie Blue (Urbana, IL, University), first-year Naja Woods (Minneapolis, MN, Southwest), sophomore Molly Lascelles (Ipava, IL, VIT), and first-year Carley Bechen (Eugene, OR, Churchill).  Blue also had a team-high seven rebounds and Howard recorded five steals.

Knox goes for its fourth straight win at Cornell College on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.  The Rams (10-8, 8-5 MWC) are tied for fifth in the Midwest Conference standings with Illinois College (11-7, 8-5 MWC) after defeating the Lady Blues 64-49 at home on Saturday.

Cornell and IC trail fourth place Lake Forest College (9-9, 9-5 MWC) by one game.  The Foresters, who host the Prairie Fire on February 7, have won five games in a row after a 52-51 victory against Monmouth College in Lake Forest on Saturday.