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Grinnell College Athletics

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Nikki Ware
Cory Hall
80
Winner Grinnell GC 12-7,6-4 Midwest Conference
70
Knox KC 11-7,6-3 Midwest Conference
Winner
Grinnell GC
12-7,6-4 Midwest Conference
80
Final
70
Knox KC
11-7,6-3 Midwest Conference
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Grinnell GC 17 21 16 26 80
Knox KC 10 22 21 17 70

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Ted Schultz

Hot-handed Pioneers rally in final period to halt Knox's 6-game winning streak

Ware's career night propels Grinnell to critical MWC victory

GALESBURG, Ill. - After seeing a 12-point second-half lead fizzle away, Grinnell College's women's basketball team didn't panic.

Instead, the Pioneers and a sharp-shooting Nikki Ware '25 rose to the occasion, using a nine-point run late in the game to overcome a four-point gap for an 80-70 victory at Knox College. That put a halt to the Prairie Fire's six-game winning streak.

The hot-handed visitors went 15-of-31 from 3-point land, the fourth-most treys in program history and one shy of the school record. The total marks the most 3-pointers for Grinnell in a game since 2008 and the .484 success rate is fifth all-time.

Ware erupted for a career-high 35 points, including a 7-of-11 performance from 3-point land. Her 3-point total ranks fourth in program history. Ware added eight rebounds, also a career-best. 

Bailey Strovers '27 contributed 17 points with the help of four treys and Sara Booher '25 grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked three shots. Nora Lynch '28 added eight rebounds, a career-best, as the Pioneers owned a 43-30 edge on the boards. Ware and Skylar Thomas '26 had three assists each, while Ware and Adriana Perez '28 added two steals apiece.

The victory proved critical as it gave the Pioneers a regular-season sweep against the Prairie Fire, who lead Grinnell in the Midwest Conference standings as both squads chase a spot in the four-team league tournament.

The Pioneers fell behind 6-0 right off the bat, but then Ware put on a one-woman show with 10 consecutive points consisting of a pair of 3-pointers, a jumper and two free throws.

Grinnell (12-7, 6-4 MWC) was ahead 17-10 after one period and 38-32 at halftime. The Pioneers pushed their lead to 44-32 a few minutes into the third period on Ware's trey, only to see Knox come back to make it a 54-53 Grinnell lead at the end of the quarter.

Twice Knox (11-7, 6-3 MWC) went up by four in the fourth frame, the final time at 65-61 with 4:49 remaining. That's when Grinnell took control by scoring nine unanswered points. Cassidy Pak '28 began the onslaught with a 3-pointer and Ware scored inside to give the Pioneers the lead for good. Strovers followed with a 3-pointer and Lynch hit a free throw to make it 70-65 with 1:05 left. During that same span, Grinnell held Knox to 0-of-6 shooting from the field and forced  a turnover.

Ware was perfect on eight consecutive free throw attempts in the last minute and Strovers finished off the game with two more.

Ware moved up the career ladder in several categories during the game. She has 888 points (15th all-time at Grinnell), 192 free throws (17th) and 115 steals (10th). Ware has 47 treys this season, which ranks 12th in program history. Strovers boosted her career 3-point total to 58, 17th all-time, and Booher moved her season rebound count to 210, which ranks 12th. As a team, Grinnell has 83 blocked shots this season, which ranks sixth.

The Pioneers open a three-game homestand Saturday when Illinois College visits Darby Gymnasium for a 1 p.m. contest.
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