GALESBURG, Ill. - Ripon saw four players score in double figures Saturday afternoon, as they defeated Knox College 72-61. The Red Hawks shot 52 percent (25-48) from the field, including 57 percent (13-23) in the first half, while converting 44 percent (7-16) of their 3-point attempts. Ripon also controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Prairie Fire by a 39-22 margin.

Despite the double-digit victory, the game was tightly contested in the first half, which featured nine ties and five lead changes. Neither team led by more than four points during the first 11 and a half minutes, until an Aaron Crose jumper gave Knox (0-7, 0-4 MWC) a six-point lead. Ripon (4-3, 2-2 MWC) scored the next seven points to pull in front, keyed by a three-point play by Tyler Semenas and a Cal Schultz 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions. The Red Hawks wouldn't trail the rest of the day, as they built on a two-point halftime lead.

Knox cut that lead to a single point with 16 minutes left to play, but Ripon answered with a 12-2 run to take their first double-digit lead with 12 minutes reamaining. Knox would pull within four points in the final minutes, but the Red Hawks ended the game on a 9-2 run in the final two and a half minutes, as they made five of their six free throws during that span.

Schultz led Ripon with 17 points, to go along with four rebounds. Isaac Masters added 15 points, seven rebounds, and a game-high four assists, while Semenas scored 12 points and pulled down five rebounds. Kyle Rutkowski chipped in with 10 points and four boards.

Knox was led by Jacob Kampf's 19 points. DJ Lewis added 10 points, while Jonathan Damota scored eight for the Prairie Fire, who shot 43 percent (21-49) from the field.

The Red Hawks will now take a few weeks off from competition, before getting back on the court December 29 against UW-Platteville in the first day of the Wisconsin Dells Tournament at Just A Game Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells, Wis.