Grace Downs MVNU To Reach CL Tourney Semifinals
February 25, 2022 at 3:13 a.m.
Grace Downs MVNU To Reach CL Tourney Semifinals
By Josh Neuhart-
The Lancers dismantled Mt. Vernon Nazarene on the road 82-62.
The win sends Grace to regular-season league champion Indiana Wesleyan. The semifinal tilt at No. 7 IWU will take place on Saturday.
Frankie Davidson starred for the Lancers (23-8), pouring in 28 points, 4 assists and 2 steals.
The game began evenly with neither side gaining a significant advantage. Grace took its first lead of the game at 14-13 after Davidson buried a 3-pointer at the top of the key.
The Lancers made a push soon after. Grace scored seven straight points, sparked by a triple from Brycen Graber and a drive and dunk by Davidson.
A few minutes later, Grace pushed its lead to 13 at 36-23. Davidson tacked on five more points in less than a minute to continue to power Grace’s attack.
But Grace was unable to maintain that double-digit cushion. The Lancers scored just four points over the final 5:59 of the half, allowing the Cougars to claw within 40-36 by halftime.
Davidson led all players with 14 points at the break. Both teams shot incredibly well in the first half with Grace making 59 percent of its shots and MVNU at 62 percent.
Grace made one more 3-pointer and three more free throws than MVNU, and the Cougars (9) turned the ball over two more times. Grace scored 22 points in the paint as well.
The Lancers were sharp to begin the second half. Davidson made a crafty reverse layup, Eddie Gill IV converted a steal and layup, and Elijah Malone scored in the lane.
A minute later, Jake Wadding stole a pass and scored a tough layup to hand Grace a 54-42 lead with 13:40 remaining.
A triple from Graber was followed up by a thunderous tomahawk dunk by Davidson. Davidson then swished a triple, pushing the Lancers’ cushion to 18 at 62-44.
MVNU struggled to score against Grace’s tenacious defense in the second half. The Cougars scored only eight points for the first 10 minutes of the second half.
The Cougars burned multiple timeouts in an attempt to slow Grace’s charge, but the onslaught continued.
The lead eventually ballooned to 25 on another Davidson 3-pointer with 6:18 remaining.
The Lancers did not score for the final 2:28 of regulation, but it made no difference. Grace coasted to a comfortable 20-point rout, making another major statement in its case for an NAIA at-large invitation.
Grace shot 54 percent from the floor overall and had 46 points in the paint. MVNU shot 49 percent overall but just 36 percent after halftime. The Cougars made 5 of 17 from the 3-point line as well (29 percent).
The Lancers committed only nine turnovers — their fourth-fewest turnovers of the season.
Seven players scored at least six points for Grace. Carter Stoltzfus was Grace’s second-leading scorer with 10 points to go along with three assists, and Graber had eight points off the bench.
Wadding had 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 0 turnovers, and Malone had eight points and six boards. Gill scored seven points, and Cade Gibbs pulled down six boards.
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The Lancers dismantled Mt. Vernon Nazarene on the road 82-62.
The win sends Grace to regular-season league champion Indiana Wesleyan. The semifinal tilt at No. 7 IWU will take place on Saturday.
Frankie Davidson starred for the Lancers (23-8), pouring in 28 points, 4 assists and 2 steals.
The game began evenly with neither side gaining a significant advantage. Grace took its first lead of the game at 14-13 after Davidson buried a 3-pointer at the top of the key.
The Lancers made a push soon after. Grace scored seven straight points, sparked by a triple from Brycen Graber and a drive and dunk by Davidson.
A few minutes later, Grace pushed its lead to 13 at 36-23. Davidson tacked on five more points in less than a minute to continue to power Grace’s attack.
But Grace was unable to maintain that double-digit cushion. The Lancers scored just four points over the final 5:59 of the half, allowing the Cougars to claw within 40-36 by halftime.
Davidson led all players with 14 points at the break. Both teams shot incredibly well in the first half with Grace making 59 percent of its shots and MVNU at 62 percent.
Grace made one more 3-pointer and three more free throws than MVNU, and the Cougars (9) turned the ball over two more times. Grace scored 22 points in the paint as well.
The Lancers were sharp to begin the second half. Davidson made a crafty reverse layup, Eddie Gill IV converted a steal and layup, and Elijah Malone scored in the lane.
A minute later, Jake Wadding stole a pass and scored a tough layup to hand Grace a 54-42 lead with 13:40 remaining.
A triple from Graber was followed up by a thunderous tomahawk dunk by Davidson. Davidson then swished a triple, pushing the Lancers’ cushion to 18 at 62-44.
MVNU struggled to score against Grace’s tenacious defense in the second half. The Cougars scored only eight points for the first 10 minutes of the second half.
The Cougars burned multiple timeouts in an attempt to slow Grace’s charge, but the onslaught continued.
The lead eventually ballooned to 25 on another Davidson 3-pointer with 6:18 remaining.
The Lancers did not score for the final 2:28 of regulation, but it made no difference. Grace coasted to a comfortable 20-point rout, making another major statement in its case for an NAIA at-large invitation.
Grace shot 54 percent from the floor overall and had 46 points in the paint. MVNU shot 49 percent overall but just 36 percent after halftime. The Cougars made 5 of 17 from the 3-point line as well (29 percent).
The Lancers committed only nine turnovers — their fourth-fewest turnovers of the season.
Seven players scored at least six points for Grace. Carter Stoltzfus was Grace’s second-leading scorer with 10 points to go along with three assists, and Graber had eight points off the bench.
Wadding had 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 0 turnovers, and Malone had eight points and six boards. Gill scored seven points, and Cade Gibbs pulled down six boards.
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