Scots split a pair with Prairie Fire
Seamus O’Sullivan - Staff Writer
Coming off a big win over Lake Forest at home, the Fighting Scots’ women’s basketball team looked to carry their success against their archrival, Knox College Prairie Fire.
After a sluggish 5-14 season and the postseason mostly out of reach, a win over Knox could have been a silver lining to be a disappointing season.
Ashley Jones led the way, dropping a game-high 21 points on an efficient 8-13 shooting performance. However, her effort proved to be not enough, the Scots lost with an 81-53 final score.
The Prairie Fire dominated the game on all cylinders, but particularly when it came to sharing the ball. Three of their starters finished in double figures. Prairie Fire’s Sarina Dacio dropped an impressive 20 points. Their theme of sharing the ball was evident in their assist line, too. The Prairie Fire out-assisted the Scots by a margin of 17 to 4.
With the loss, the Scots fell to 5-15. They’ll have a chance to redeem themselves on February 11th with a rematch against Knox, this time on their home court.
While the women’s team came up short, Monmouth College did not leave Galesburg empty-handed. The men’s basketball team also took on Knox College and came away with a hard-fought victory in a thrilling contest.
In a game that remained tight throughout, the Fighting Scots managed to pull ahead late, securing a 92-87 win over their conference rivals. Cameron Thomas played a crucial role in the victory, leading the team with 25 points on an efficient 10-of-15 shooting performance. Thomas showcased his ability to score at all three levels, knocking down key shots in the closing minutes to help Monmouth fend off Knox’s late-game push.
It was a balanced performance for the Scots, with four of the five starters finishing in double figures. Their offensive depth and ball movement were on full display, as multiple players contributed to the scoring effort, keeping the Knox defense on its heels.
With this win, the Scots improved to 15-5 on the season, positioning themselves as strong contenders in the conference standings. With just five games remaining, Monmouth will look to build on this momentum and close out what has already been an impressive season.
The Scots will now turn their attention to their next matchup at home versus Illinois.