Morgan, Harlan Lead Scots Past Knox

Monmouth moves into second place with win

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (02/10/2022) — The Monmouth College women's basketball team finished the game on a 13-0 run to stun rival Knox 63-55 and take over second place in Midwest Conference with a Wednesday night road win. Josie Morgan (Washington, Illinois) scored 19 points while Lily Harlan (Washington, Illinois) had a career-high 14 for the Scots (12-6, 9-3).

The teams traded baskets early with neither team leading by more than three until Morgan's jumper gave Monmouth a 13-9 lead with 55 seconds left in the opening quarter. Kaitlyn Osmulski (Peoria, Illinois) made a 3-pointer with one second left for a 16-12 lead after the first quarter.

Knox took a 17-16 lead before Osmulski made another 3-pointer to start a 5-0 Scots run. Morgan hit a 3-pointer for a six-point lead and after Knox scored, Tarae Warner (Burlington, Iowa) hit a 3-pointer. Jadyn Mitchell (Flanagan, Illinois) put the Scots up by eight before Knox scored five straight. Harlan's jumper on the last possession of the half gave Monmouth a 31-26 lead.

Morgan's 3-pointer put the Scots up 34-26 and Jordan Kintigh made it a 10-point lead with 7:16 to go in the third. Another 3-pointer from Morgan put the Scots up nine but the hosts rallied for an 11-0 run to end the quarter with a 43-41 advantage.

Knox pushed the lead to four in the fourth before Mitchell connected from deep.The Prairie Fire scored the next six and led 51-44 before Mitchell scored again. Knox led 53-46 when Harlan hit a 3-pointer with 5:12 left.

Monmouth trailed by six with 3:52 to go and Harlan hit another 3-pointer that started a big run. Osmulski tied the game with a 3-pointer and Harlan gave the Scots the lead for good with 1:04 to play. Morgan hit a clutch 3-pointer with 17 seconds left for a 60-55 lead and then made a free throw after a Knox miss. Warner hit two free throws with two seconds left and the Scots finished the game on a 14-0 run with Knox scoreless over the final 4:16.
Morgan led the way with 19 while Harlan had a career-high 14 points. Osmulski scored nine points while Mitchell had seven. Osmulski led the Scots with a career-high 12 rebounds while she and Warner both had three assists.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: With her first make of the night, Osmulski passed Julie Schroeder (1989-93) for seventh on the Scots career 3-pointers made list with 102She made another to get within three of Kathleen Forrest (2011-15) for sixth and is also seventh in attempts with 301Osmulski needs three points for 600 in her careerMorgan made three 3-pointers and is now 15th on the single-season list with 43 on the yearCoach Megan Jones tied the school record for most wins (12) and most conference wins (9) for a first-year coachTim Bresnahan went 12-10 in his first season (1990-91) while Katie Marcella's 2014-15 team went 9-9 in MWC playThe Scots last won at Knox on Dec. 10, 2013, having lost six straight in Galesburg before WednesdayMonmouth leads the all-time series 61-38The Scots will host first-place Ripon at 3 p.m. Saturday with the four seniors honored pregame..