Monmouth led by as many as 25 in the first half, but had to withstand a Knox rally in the final 20 minutes of an 82-73 Scots' win, their fourth straight.
 
Knox shook off a 49-29 halftime deficit to take their first lead of the game at 56-55 with an inside bucket with 10:04 left in the game. The Fire lead grew to three, two minutes later before D.J. Swift knotted the game at 60-60 with a 3-pointer at the 7:40 mark. Another Swift 3-ball then began Monmouth's 13-3 run over the next four minutes to give the Scots a 75-65 lead with 3:31 to play. Knox cut the margin to five in the final minute but could get no closer when Tyler Houston – who posted a double-double of 12 points and 11 boards – canned four straight free throws in the final 36 seconds.
 
The Scots had built a 25-point first half lead making 10 of their 19, 3-pointers before going cold in the second half. Monmouth finished the game hitting 27 of their 55 shots from the floor which included a 12-for-29 mark from 3-point range. Swift led the Scots with 19 points while Justin Batterton added 18 and Dee Hyler 11.
 
Monmouth travels to Beloit for a 1 p.m. contest Saturday, in second place in the Midwest Conference.