GALESBURG, Ill. - A roaring Memorial Gymnasium crowd witnessed a thrilling finish Saturday evening as the Prairie Fire closed the game on a remarkable 16-0 run to defeat Rockford University, 96-88, in Knox's 2026-27 home opener.
Trailing 88-80 with just over three minutes remaining, the Prairie Fire completely took over the contest, holding the Regents scoreless the rest of the way while scoring 16 unanswered points to turn an eight-point deficit into an eight-point victory.
Josh Stewart delivered a dominant performance for Knox, pouring in a game-high 35 points on 12-of-14 shooting while pulling down 12 rebounds for a double-double. Stewart also added three assists and was instrumental in the Prairie Fire's late comeback.
Rockford appeared to be in control after extending its lead to 88-80 with 3:15 remaining. However, Cameron Betker sparked the comeback with a layup, followed by another inside basket from Ryan Erdos to cut the deficit to four.
Vladimir Marinov then brought the crowd to its feet with a clutch and-one three-pointer at the 1:50 mark, tying the score at 88 apiece. Stewart added a layup following the clutch Marinov baske, giving the Prairie Fire the lead.
With the energy inside Memorial Gymnasium reaching a fever pitch, Knox continued to lock down defensively while capitalizing at the free-throw line. Betker, Stewart, and Marinov combined to add six more points from the charity stripe, completing the 16-0 run and sending the home crowd into celebration.
The dramatic finish capped a back-and-forth contest that featured numerous lead changes. Rockford held a 48-42 advantage at halftime, but Knox responded with 54 second-half points to secure the comeback victory.
Noah Campbell provided a major offensive boost for the Prairie Fire, finishing with 18 points and five rebounds. Marinov was outstanding off the bench, scoring 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc while dishing out a team-high four assists.
Erdos added 11 points and six rebounds, while Aydan Ayer contributed nine points, eight rebounds and a game-high four steals. Betker chipped in six points and four rebounds.
Knox shot 45.6 percent from the field and connected on eight three-pointers while holding a 41-30 advantage on the glass. The Prairie Fire also outscored Rockford 44-40 in the paint and turned 17 Regents turnovers into 27 points.
The victory improves Knox to 2-1 on the season, providing an exciting start to the home schedule and giving the Prairie Fire momentum as they continue nonconference play.
