GRINNELL, Iowa - For the second season in a row, Grinnell College's men's basketball team had a tough battle on its hands against an upset-minded Knox College squad at Darby Gymnasium.

But also for the second season in a row, the Pioneers emerged victorious as they stretched their home winning streak against the Prairie Fire to 24 games.

With Harris Dar '28 posting the second-best field goal shooting performance in program history, the Pioneers topped Knox 107-101 in the Midwest Conference opener for both teams.

Dar shot 90 percent from the field, hitting 9-of-10 shots. His success rate is the best for the program in 11 years.

Kai Te Huki '27 led the Pioneers with 30 points, Dar scored 24 and Gabe Garcia '27 poured in 14. Jackson Leone '25 grabbed six rebounds, Dar and Garcia had three assists apiece and Garcia, Johnson and Nick Courtney '26 all had three steals. John Vincent '26 blocked a pair of shots.

Grinnell led 55-52 at halftime and kept command in the second stanza before Knox, 2-4, took a one-point lead at the 12:33 mark. The game was later tied before the Pioneers went on a short, though critical, run as Garcia recorded a layup and Leone a trey to push the Pioneers ahead 93-88 with 5:10 left.

Grinnell led the rest of the way, icing the game down the stretch with the aid of three Leone free throws and one each by Te Huki and Garcia.

Grinnell takes to the road this weekend for a MWC contest at Lawrence University. Tip-off Saturday in Appleton, Wis., is at 3 p.m.