The Knox Prairie Fire men's basketball team defeated the Lincoln Christian Red Lions this Saturday, winning by a final score of 83-59. With the victory, the Prairie Fire's season record sits at 5-7 on the season.
 
The Prairie Fire started the first half with efficient shooting and calm, collected defense. Jordan Rayner had a fantastic shooting day, nailing several tough jumpers and sparking the Prairie Fire offense with his 10 points in the half. Knox shot 51.85% from the floor as a team, while also shooting a near-perfect 12-13 from the charity stripe. Their ability to draw fouls and make their resulting shots was crucial to opening up their lead. Defensively, the Prairie Fire only allowed the Red Lions to go 9-24, and also forced 11 turnovers, as well. As a result, Knox entered the half up by 16 points.
 
Knox's backcourt proved to be too much for Lincoln Christian to handle, with their experience and chemistry driving their performance. Rayner and Isaiah Lockett had impressive shooting days, as Lockett scored 8 points and grabbed 4 rebounds to provide a steady presence on both ends of the floor for the Prairie Fire. Knox's careful passing allowed for them to limit turnovers while also finding easy cuts to the basket, and their efficient offensive day reflected this. By only allowing the Red Lions to go 3-12 from beyond the arc, the Prairie Fire ensured that Lincoln Christian could not catch up, and they won the game comfortably.
 
Knox looks to keep up the good performances when they transition back to Midwest Conference play and travel to Cornell this Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.