Posted: Nov 26, 2019
It's Knox Week Again for EC Women's Basketball
THE OPENING TIP-OFF
Less than a month into the season, it's already rematch time for the Eureka women's basketball team.
The Red Devils will take on Knox for the second time in two weeks on Wednesday inside Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center at 3 p.m.
ABOUT EUREKA
It's been two weeks since Eureka pulled off a riveting comeback over Knox, overcoming an 18-point deficit and topping the Prairie Fire in overtime.
Now, the Red Devils are preparing to defend their home court when the Prairie Fire comes to campus for a revenge game. Eureka is now 3-1. EC fell at Millikin 88-68 for the team's first loss of the regular season on Sunday. Before that, the maroon and gold handled St. Mary-of-the-Woods and its version of the System, 96-78, to cap a 3-0 start to the winter.
On Sunday, freshman Jaydyn Mitchell led the way in a losing effort with a career-high 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field. The 5-foot-5 guard knocked down 2 of 3 3-pointers and put away 5 of 6 free throws.
Another freshman, Whitney Bozarth, followed with 13 points. Olivia Falls added 12 and seven rebounds, and Marissa Murphy contributed a career-high 11 points off the bench. As the Prairie Fire is well aware, the Red Devils bring back five returners from last year's squad, including a pair of accomplished four-year seniors in Ashley Harfst and Kennedy Dura.
When the teams met last time, Harfst notched 20 points and 12 boards, and Dura contributed 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Falls, meanwhile, put up 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds.
Heading into Wednesday's game, Dura is only three assists away from surpassing her older sister, Kerrigan, for second in career assists in EC program history. Kennedy has 391 to Kerrigan's 393.
FALLS EARNS SLIAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
For the first time in her career, Olivia Falls is the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week.
The Eureka sophomore guard averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds in two games while shooting 58 percent from the field.
In Eureka's 96-78 victory over St. Mary-of-the-Woods last Wednesday, she posted a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 7 of 11 from the floor. She then added 12 and 7 against Millikin.
Falls is currently averaging 14.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per game while shooting just under 60 percent on the season.
ABOUT KNOX
Knox is heading to Eureka with a 2-2 record. Since ending up on the other side of the Red Devils' comeback, the Prairie Fire has won back-to-back games.
First, the purple and gold topped Central College 81-72 on Nov 16. Then, last Wednesday, Knox took it to Iowa Wesleyan, 92-50.
In the latter win, four Knox players reached double-figures and the team shot 44.9 percent. Leading scorer Jarrelyn McCall tallied 14 a team-high 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Kyra Huffman and NaKeva Mack each added 13 points and Nyah Daniels had 10.
Two Knox players recorded double-doubles against Eureka, with Jarrelyn McCall notching 17 and 11 and Catessa Duran gathering 15 board and 14 points.
The Red Devils have a 26-13 lead over Knox all-time.