Slow start, icy shooting doom Vikings at Knox

GALESBURG, Ill. — A slow start combined with frigid shooting Saturday doomed the Lawrence University women’s basketball team in a 72-35 Midwest Conference loss to Knox College.

Knox jumped out to a 12-point lead after the first quarter, and Lawrence (2-2, 0-2 MWC) shot just 21.7 percent from the floor for the game. The Vikings hit just 3-of-20 shots (15 percent) from beyond the arc.

Kyra Huffman led Knox (2-3, 1-1) with 18 points and she grabbed nine rebounds. Karlie Thorn added 11 points for the Prairie Fire, and Hailey Leinart had 10.

Natalie Kramer paced Lawrence with 10 points. Grace Minogue added nine points, and Leah Reeves had eight points to go with a team-best nine rebounds.

Lawrence actually led 5-4 after Minogue’s 3-pointer with 7:33 left in the first quarter, but that’s when Knox took over. The Prairie Fire went on a 15-2 run to end the period and led 19-7 after one.

Knox expanded its lead to 43-23 at the half but couldn’t pull away in the third quarter. The Vikings went ice cold in the fourth quarter, hitting just 1-of-14 shots from the floor while being held to three points as Knox stretched the advantage.

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