Knox Rallies Past St. Norbert

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, January 4, 2020 | Women's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

GALESBURG, Ill. - St. Norbert College held a seven-point lead entering the fourth quarter but couldn't hang on in 63-60 loss to Knox College in a Midwest Conference game at Memorial Gym.

The Green Knights went into the final 10 minutes of action holding a 46-39 lead, but the Prairie Fire scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to get back into the game. St. Norbert held four four-point leads after the Prairie Fire had cut its deficit to two points, the last at 54-40 on a Sarah Neumann hoop with 3:52 left.

Knox's Catessa Duran answered with a conventional three-point play, and Jarrelyn Mccall followed with seven consecutive points. Mccall made a pair of free throws for a 60-54 lead with 1:22 left to cap off the decisive 10-0 run. Natalie Cerrato made a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute of play to keep the Green Knights in it, and St. Norbert had possession trailing 63-60 inside 10 seconds left, but a turnover sealed its fate.

St. Norbert trailed 20-13 after the first quarter but turned in an impressive second period that saw the Green Knights hold a 17-6 scoring advantage. The Green Knights opened the frame on an 8-0 run, getting six points from Kaycee Gierczak and a hoop by Jessica Boerner. A Boerner hoop with 7 seconds left before halftime sent the Green Knights into intermission with a 30-26 lead.

The Green Knights led 32-30 with 8:13 left in the third quarter before going on an 8-0 run over the next 57 seconds to take a 40-30 lead on 3-pointers by Ava Moldenhauer and Cerrato and a hoop by Boerner. The Prairie Fire countered with seven straight points of its own before a Neumann basket gave St. Norbert a 46-39 lead after the third quarter.

St. Norbert shot 31.4 percent (22-for-70) from the floor. Gierczak led the way with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Cerrato added 11 points and Boerner 10 points. The Green Knights also held a 50-44 rebounding advantage.

Knox connected on 35 percent (21-for-60) of its shots. Mccall was the only Knox player to score in double figures with 18 points.