MOUNT VERNON – Sophomore Mia Murray came off the bench for a career-high 14 points as the short-handed Rams dropped a 68-53 decision to first-place Knox in Midwest Conference women's basketball action Saturday inside the Small Athletic and Wellness Center.
 
Despite four key players out of action, the third-place Rams (8-11 overall, 7-5 MWC) hung with the Prairie Fire (17-4 overall, 12-0 MWC) for most of the contest. Cornell trailed 37-31 at halftime and stayed within 56-48 with less than eight minutes to go.
 
Knox broke it open with 11 unanswered points down the stretch and extended its school-record winning streak to 10 games.
 
Murray led the Rams in scoring, connecting on 6-of-9 field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers in 20 minutes. Karli Artman contributed 11 points and three steals. Madison Osborn added nine points, Kali March eight.
 
March, among the national leaders in steals, compiled seven more on Saturday to boost her season total to 77, which rank seventh-most in program history.
 
The Rams pressured Knox into 22 turnovers. The Prairie Fire countered with a decisive 48-24 rebounding advantage and a 50.0-percent shooting touch from the field.
 
Knox was paced by Catessa Duran's 24 points and Kristin Herndon's double-double (14 points, 14 rebounds).
 
Coming up – The Rams travel to play title-contending Ripon (15-6 overall, 11-1 MWC) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Ripon, Wis. The Red Hawks won the first matchup, 59-52, on Jan. 28.