EUREKA, Ill. — A strong first-half performance helped the Prairie Fire secure its first victory of the 2026-27 season Wednesday evening, defeating Eureka 74-65 on the road.
The Prairie Fire came out firing in a back-and-forth opening half that featured multiple lead changes. Cameron Betker knocked down a pair of early three-pointers, while Noah Campbell and Josh Stewart helped Knox establish its offensive rhythm.
In the final four minutes of the first half Vladimir Marinov connected from beyond the arc to extend the lead, Stewart followed with a layup, Campbell buried a three-pointer, and Stewart threw down a dunk, giving Knox a 44-32 advantage after a 10-0 run. The Prairie Fire went into halftime with a 44-34 lead.
Knox carried that momentum into the second half, but the Red Devils continued to battle, trying to trim the deficit as the second half went on, but Knox maintained its composure down the stretch.
Campbell delivered a crucial steal and fast-break dunk in the final minute, sealing the 74-65 victory.
Campbell led the Prairie Fire with 21 points on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting performance, and he also collected five rebounds and a team-high four steals.
Stewart turned in an impressive all-around performance, recording a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds while dishing out a team-high seven assists and adding three steals.
Betker was a force on the glass, hauling in a game-high 17 rebounds to go along with 11 points. Ayer also finished in double figures with 11 points, while Erdos contributed seven.
As a team, Knox held a 53-48 advantage in rebounds and recorded 13 steals.
Knox improves to 1-1 on the season with the victory, and will return to Galesburg for their home opener against Rockford University on Saturday, November 14, at 5:00 p.m.
