Prospect 49, Rolling Meadows 29

After a dominant first quarter, the Prospect girls basketball team saw its lead slipping away.

Boosted by a 12-0 run starting in the second quarter, the Knights snapped a four-game losing streak with a 49-29 Mid-Suburban East win over Rolling Meadows at Jean Walker Field House.

"The girls were eager to get out on the floor and play better basketball than we've been playing in the last four games," Prospect coach Martha Kelly said. "We've been really focusing on the little things in practice and I think they're getting better. They're learning and improving and I think it's starting to show out there."

Prospect senior Megan Murray had 18 points and 10 rebounds, including 7 points during a decisive 14-3 run in the fourth quarter.

The Knights (12-8, 3-2) took a 9-2 lead after one quarter while holding Rolling Meadows without a field goal.

Prospect also held a 13-4 rebounding advantage in the period while forcing 8 of the Mustangs' 22 turnovers.

Rolling Meadows (6-14, 0-5) hung around and pulled to within 16-9 on a 3-pointer from Alexa Bennett.

Three minutes later Knights answered with 12 straight points to take a 30-11 lead early in the third quarter.

"Defense is where we put most of our emphasis," Murray said after the Mustangs hit 9-of-35 shots. "I think we did a really good job of that because they really couldn't get anything going. We just wanted to make sure that we got a good lead that was safe because Alexa was making 3s."

Rolling Meadows closed the third quarter on an 11-3 run before succumbing to Prospects' strong fourth quarter.

"Our confidence was a little low because they were up and we were trying to make things happen which caused turnovers," said Bennett (12 points), who hit three 3-pointers during the Mustangs' third-quarter run.

Rolling Meadows coach Patrick O'Connell said his team was capable of playing much better than it did on Friday and thought a larger-than-normal crowd might have affected his girls.

"We were in a too much of a hurry on offense and we turned the ball over way too many times," O'Connell said. "(Prospect) was playing great defense but I think a lot of the turnovers were from impatience on our part."

Alyssa Glennon had 8 points and 7 rebounds, freshman Sarah Winans scored 8 and Danielle Brucci added 5 steals for the Knights, which outrebounded Rolling Meadows 33-19.

Shannon McGuire had 4 points and 4 rebounds for the Mustangs. Emily Miller and Maddy Urban each added a pair of steals.