ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings men's basketball team will step out of conference play on Wednesday, December 18 to face the Knox Prairie Fire at home.

Augie enters with a 5-3 overall record and is looking to bounce back following an 82-70 home loss to Carthage on Saturday. It was a strong showing for the Vikings to begin the game, jumping out to an 18-2 advantage and holding the visitors without a made shot through the first six minutes. After trading a couple of baskets to keep the margin around the 15-point mark, Carthage inched closer with a 10-3 spurt across a two-minute span to cut the deficit to eight. A jumper by Evan Ambrose and a three from Anthony Cooper moved the margin back out to double figures moments later, but a late run by the Firebirds shrunk the differential down to as little four at 40-36. A pair of free throws from Tyler Knuth and a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Colton Gillingham moved the lead back out to nine at 45-36 heading into halftime. Augie shot 53 percent in the first half and won the turnover battle after forcing eight Carthage miscues to their four. Ambrose led all scorers with 12 points at the break.

The Firebirds notched the first four points of the second half to bring the lead for the Vikings down to five, but Augustana answered with five straight points from Knuth to create another double-digit cushion. Another 5-0 run followed for the visitors as they hovered around a five-point hole for the next four minutes of play. Ray Maurchie's three-pointer around the 13-minute mark moved Augie's advantage out to eight at 57-49, but the Vikings went the next five minutes without a point and found themselves trailing 62-57 with eight minutes remaining. Carthage continued to shoot the ball well down the stretch, extending its lead out to double figures before closing out the game with an 82-70 final. The Firebirds scored points on eight of their final nine possessions to eliminate any possible comeback threat for the Vikings. 

Knox currently sits with a 2-7 overall record and will play its eighth road contest of the season on Wednesday in Rock Island. The Prairie Fire are looking to snap a five-game losing streak, recently falling on the road at Ripon by a final of 74-63. Knox played even with the Red Hawks 36-36 in the second half, but could not erase an 11-point halftime deficit. Three players scored in double figures in the loss for the Prairie Fire, led by Sean Gallery's 19 points. Gallery leads the team in scoring this season at 20.5 points per outing, one of three to average double digits. Augustana will be the third opponent from the CCIW for Knox. The Prarie Fire fell to both Millikin and Carthage this season. The team is 1-6 on the road, with their lone victory in a 77-59 triumph at Westminster back on November 19.

Wednesday will be the 80th all-time meeting between the two programs, with Augustana leading the all-time series 50-29. The Vikings won last season at home by a final of 83-60.

Start time is scheduled for 7 p.m.