DECATUR, Ill. — Extra time proved to be extra grueling for the Knox College men's basketball team as host Millikin University outlasted the Prairie Fire (0-2) on Tuesday evening at the Griswold Center in overtime, 87-82. Nate Straughter had a game-high 26 points with six 3-pointers, the last of which gave the Big Blue (1-1) the lead for good with 1:24 to play in the extra session.

Five Knox players scored in double figures, led by junior Cole Andrews' career-high 18 points with four 3-pointers while Galesburg native Carl Dortch poured in a personal-best 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Senior Sean Gallery added 14, junior Russell Wright pitched in 13 and sophomore Anthony Davis contributed his first game in double digits with 11.

Millikin jumped out to the lead in the overtime period, and built its advantage to as many as six — matching the largest of the game for either team — on one of Straughter's triples not even two minutes in. But Andrews immediately answered with a long ball of his own, and with 1:43, Dortch brought the Prairie Fire back to even at 82 apiece with a dunk.\

Straughter then hit his fateful shot behind the arc, and Andrews' layup at the other end tantalizingly bounded on the rim repeatedly before failing to hit its mark. Knox got the defensive stop it needed, and although the team reduced its turnovers by more than half from the season opener, the 12th and final one led to a quick Big Blue layup with three seconds left, sealing the Prairie Fire's fate.

The entire game was a seesaw affair that featured 12 ties and 16 lead changes. With two minutes left, Millikin was up four following a dunk, 74-70, but Wright sank a pair of free throws and Gallery drove for a layup to tie the score once again. Knox had its chance to win after a Big Blue player misfired on two free throws, but Gallery could not get his driving layup to go under intense defensive pressure. A Millikin desperation heave at the buzzer drew iron but was off the mark.

• Gallery led the Prairie Fire with nine rebounds and five assists.
• As a team Knox was 9-of-20 (.450) from 3-point range, more treys than it hit in all but one game last year.
• The Prairie Fire were left still searching for their 1,000th win in program history and the first win for first-year head coach Corey Harvey.
• This was the first meeting between the two teams on the hardwood since January of 2009 when the Big Blue nipped Knox, 71-67.

The Prairie Fire have a week off for fall final exams before returning to the court on Nov. 19 at Westminster College (Mo.), which opens its season tomorrow against Monmouth College. Live video and stats from Westminster Gym will be available when the game tips off at 7 p.m. through the official website of Knox College athletics, PrairieFire.Knox.edu.