In the highest-scoring game in program history, the Lake Forest College women's basketball team defeated visiting Knox College 116-104 Wednesday evening. The victory also clinched a spot for the Foresters in next weekend's four-team Midwest Conference Tournament.
In addition to setting a single-game team record for points, Lake Forest also set new marks with 81 rebounds and 42 field goals made and their 32 made free throws are tied for second in program history.
Several Foresters had career-high performances, including sophomore guard/forward Gina Ambrose with 25 points and 19 rebounds. Junior guard Alex Messacar scored 16 points and established new career-highs with 18 rebounds and six assists. They were the first career double-doubles for both players.
Junior guard Sam Schuring matched Ambrose's game-high 25 points on 11-for-16 shooting from the field and added six rebounds and a pair of steals. Junior forward Liz Radtke scored a career-high 24 points and pulled down nine rebounds, and added four assists. Freshman guard Jenna Rice tied Messacar with a game-high six assists.
The Foresters shot 47.2 percent from the field and made 32 of 44 free throws. They held Knox to 34.9 percent shooting from the floor and the Prairie Fire connected just nine times in 51 attempts from three-point range and on 21 of 30 foul shots. Lake Forest out-rebounded the visitors 81-45 but committed 40 turnovers to Knox's 24.
Lake Forest led by as many as seven points and Knox by as many as 10 in a first half that included nine ties and 10 lead changes. Knox took a 39-29 lead with 5:23 to play in the period before the Foresters closed out the first half on a 19-6 to take a 48-45 lead into the locker room.
There were six more ties and four more lead changes in the second half. The Prairie Fire broke on of the ties with an 8-0 run to take an 84-76 lead with 10:15 to play. A 12-0 Forester run a few minutes later put the home team ahead 90-86 but Knox pulled even once again. Lake Forest scored its 100th point of the evening on a layup by Radtke with 3:43 left and, after Knox trimmed the lead to two again, used a 14-4 run to pull away and secure the victory.
Forester senior guard Natasha Poulopoulos battled back from injury to make her season debut on Senior Day. She was honored before the final home game of her career.
Lake Forest is now 12-10 overall and 11-6 in league play this season. Knox fell to 4-18 overall and 4-13 in the league.
The Foresters will look to clinch the #2 seed in the conference tourney at Grinnell College on Saturday. The regular season finale will begin at 1:00 p.m.
The MWC Tournament will be played at St. Norbert College the following weekend. Friday night's semifinals are scheduled for 5:00 and 7:00 and Saturday's final will begin at 3:00 p.m.