A fast start propelled the Prairie Fire to their first win of the season, 101-91 over Principia College, on November 16 in the Bill Merris Tournament at Illinois College.

Knox shot a red hot 60 percent and hit 11 shots from 3-point range in the first half for a 61-41 halftime lead.  Principia also shot well at 56 percent, but the Prairie Fire dominated the Panthers (0-2) on the glass 25-10 and used a 14-3 surge over the last three minutes of the first half to turn a nine point lead into a 20 point cushion.

Knox (1-1) led by as many as 22 points, 85-63 with 10:19 remaining, when Principia made the game more interesting than the Prairie Fire would've liked.

The Panthers had a chance to make it a one possession game after a 26-10 run that trimmed the Prairie Fire lead to 95-89 with 3:08 left in regulation.  Principia rebounded a Knox miss and got off four shots – three on offensive rebounds – but came away empty.

Senior David Jones (Denver, CO, Colorado Academy/Air Force Academy) and junior Mitch Murphy (Bushnell, IL, Bushnell-Prairie City) scored back-to-back baskets to expand the Prairie Fire lead to 99-89.  A pair of free throws by junior Eric Miller (Villa Park, IL, Willowbrook) with six seconds left in the game accounted for the final points for Knox.

Principia scored its last basket just before the final buzzer.

The Prairie Fire cooled off to 37 percent shooting in the second half but still finished the game at 50 percent (36-of-72) and drained 12-of-26 (46 percent) from 3-point range.

The Panthers shot 51 percent (36-of-70) overall and made 4-of-10 (40 percent) 3-point shots.

Both teams had success at the foul line.  Knox was 17-of-24 (71 percent) and Principia canned 15-of-20 (75 percent).

Besides the disparity in 3-point shooting, the Prairie Fire continued their strong rebounding effort and closed the game with a 44-34 advantage.

Murphy led five Knox players in double-figure scoring with 25 points.  Jones followed with 20, Miller had 14 points and a team-high seven assists, first-year Liam Nash (Nashville, TN, University School of Nashville) contributed 12 points, and senior Adam Worden (Monee, IL, Crete-Monee) tallied 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

Murphy and Jones were both named to the all-tournament team.