Sophomore guard Sean Espinosa scored 10 consective points early in the contest and a game-high 21 overall in a 77-58 victory over visiting Knox College on Saturday.
The Foresters trailed 11-3 before back-to-back three pointers, a jumper, and a layup by Espinosa gave the home team the lead. After a three-pointer by Lake Forest freshman guard Tashon Brown finished off the 13-0 run, Knox scored nine of the next 11 points to pull back ahead. The game was tied at 23 with less than four minutes to play in the first half when a layup by junior guard Aram Arslanian put the Foresters on top for good. Lake Forest went into the locker room at halftime leading 35-30.
Knox closed to within three points three times early in the second half but a 23-3 Forester run extended the lead to 23 with eight-and-a-half minutes remaining. The Prairie Fire got no closer than 19 points the rest of the way.
Espinosa shot 9-for-14 from the field and made three of six attempts from beyond the arc. Brown, who made four three-pointers in six tries, and senior forward Danny Sotos were next on the squad with 14 points apiece and Arslanian finished with 12 to go with a team-high eight rebounds. Brown led the Lake Forest with four assists.
The Foresters committed just eight turnovers while forcing 17 and out-rebounded Knox 35-32. Those advantages led to 18 additional field goal attempts, of which they made 10. The home team was 30-for-64 and the Prairie Fire 20-for-46 from the floor in the contest. Lake Forest knocked down 10 of 23 attempts from three-point range while the visitors were just 5-for-16.
The victory improved the Foresters' overall record to 8-5 and Midwest Conference mark to 4-2. Knox fell to 1-13 overall and remained winless in seven league contests.
Lake Forest will host Lawrence University Tuesday night at 7:30.