FORT WAYNE - Grace College women's basketball coach Lori Wynn sees the banners hanging from the rafters.
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Wynn sees that kind of success for Grace in the future.
But the future is not now, and the present-day Lancers saw their season end at 5-23 with an 84-43 Tuesday loss to 27-1 Saint Francis.
Two former Manchester High School standouts paced No. 1 Saint Francis. Former Squire Megan Eckert, a freshman reserve at Saint Francis, hit 5 of 7 three-pointers and led the Cougars with 17 points to earn game MVP honors. Sophomore reserve Katie Parker, who played with Eckert at Manchester, shot 6 of 7 from the field and added 15 points.
Senior guard Eve Arthur scored 12 and Tracey Mantegna 10 for the Lancers.
For the second time in four days, Grace College's women's basketball team faced No. 1 Saint Francis.
On Saturday, the Lancers, in last place in the MCC with a 2-12 record, lost but played the first-place Cougars (14-0 in MCC) to a 68-63 game.
Asked how much that five-point game affected Saint Francis for this game, Wynn said: "I think they saw we wouldn't roll over and die."
They squared off again Tuesday in the MCC Tournament. This time it was at Saint Francis, the team that lost to Shawnee State (Ohio) in last year's NAIA national title game.
The outcome was the same - Grace lost - but this time Saint Francis put the game away in the first half.
With 12:15 to go in the first half, Grace and Saint Francis were tied 9-9. Twelve minutes and 15 seconds later, Saint Francis took a 39-14 halftime lead into the locker room, courtesy of a 30-5 run.
"We consider ourselves to be a defensive team," Saint Francis coach Bruce Patterson said. "Most people who play us worry about what we can do offensively -Êwe can outrun you, we can run up and down the court, we can shoot the ball outside.
"What they really need to worry about is our defense. When we get you out there in the fullcourt and you start making mistakes, you can make a bunch in a hurry, and that's what happened to them."
The Cougars and their full-court press and trapping defense caused 26 Lancer turnovers -Êin the first half. The Lancers handled the ball as if wearing oven mitts.
"We had our opportunities," Wynn said. "We liked where we were, not only at 9-9, but even when it was 13-9. We felt we were in a good position.
"We just wanted to hang around. But when you have 26 turnovers in the first half, you can't expect good things.
Offensively, Eckert ignited the Cougars. With Saint Francis leading 13-9 at the 8:50 mark, two Eckert three-pointers sandwiched around a Grace free throw upped the lead to 19-10 30 seconds later. Eckert's steal with seven minutes left led to two Saint Francis free throws, and the Cougars were on their way up 23-10. The game was never in doubt again.
Now Wynn focuses on the future. She inherited a program low on numbers - she had nine players on her roster this season. Wynn, when not coaching current players at games or practices, shakes bushes and beats down paths to find quality recruits. She has traveled as far as three hours away during the season to watch potential recruits; she also is eyeing a player in Idaho, though she hasn't traveled there yet.
"I plan to be around here for a while," Wynn said. "It won't be a quick fix. Rome wasn't built in a day. We're looking at four or five years, depending on how recruiting goes.
"I think our program is definitely on the rise. I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to come in with, regardless of the number of players. We have some good quality players returning, and we'll have some quality recruits coming in."
No. 1 SAINT FRANCIS 84
GRACE 43
Grace (5-23) 14 29 - 43
Saint Francis (27-1) 39 45 - 84
Grace FG FT A S R Pts.
Arthur (G) 4-7 2-3 2 1 4 12
Mantegna (F) 5-12 0-0 3 2 5 10
Helmuth (G) 2-4 3-4 1 4 3 9
Doron (F) 2-3 2-4 0 0 8 6
Mowery (F) 0-2 1-2 2 1 0 1
Devros 1-5 3-4 1 1 2 5
Marquis 0-1 0-0 0 0 2 0
Rees 0-2 0-0 0 0 1 0
Team - - - - 6 -
Totals 14-36 11-17 9 9 31 43
Saint Francis FG FT A S R Pts.
Meyers (F) 3-3 7-8 2 0 2 13
Parrett (G) 2-6 6-6 2 6 2 11
Schlegel (F) 5-9 1-2 2 3 6 11
Richardson (G) 2-9 4-6 11 7 2 9
Dunbar (F) 0-2 0-0 1 0 1 0
Eckert 6-8 0-0 1 2 4 17
Parker 6-7 0-0 0 1 2 15
Thomas 2-6 0-0 0 0 3 4
Working 1-3 0-0 0 1 1 3
McClurg 0-0 1-2 0 0 1 1
Starkweather 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Patterson 0-1 0-0 3 2 0 0
Neu 0-1 0-0 1 0 2 0
Team - - - - 2 -
Totals 27-55 19-24 23 22 28 84
Three-point goals -ÊSaint Francis 11-25 (Eckert 5-7, Parker 3-3, Richardson 1-6, Parrett 1-3, Working 1-2, Dunbar 0-2, Patterson 0-1, Schlegel 0-1), Grace 4-9 (Helmuth 2-3, Arthur 2-2, Devros 0-2, Rees 0-1, Mantegna 0-1). Turnovers - Grace 33, Saint Francis 16. Fouled out -ÊMowery, Doron. Total fouls - Grace 22, Saint Francis 19. [[In-content Ad]]
Wynn sees that kind of success for Grace in the future.
But the future is not now, and the present-day Lancers saw their season end at 5-23 with an 84-43 Tuesday loss to 27-1 Saint Francis.
Two former Manchester High School standouts paced No. 1 Saint Francis. Former Squire Megan Eckert, a freshman reserve at Saint Francis, hit 5 of 7 three-pointers and led the Cougars with 17 points to earn game MVP honors. Sophomore reserve Katie Parker, who played with Eckert at Manchester, shot 6 of 7 from the field and added 15 points.
Senior guard Eve Arthur scored 12 and Tracey Mantegna 10 for the Lancers.
For the second time in four days, Grace College's women's basketball team faced No. 1 Saint Francis.
On Saturday, the Lancers, in last place in the MCC with a 2-12 record, lost but played the first-place Cougars (14-0 in MCC) to a 68-63 game.
Asked how much that five-point game affected Saint Francis for this game, Wynn said: "I think they saw we wouldn't roll over and die."
They squared off again Tuesday in the MCC Tournament. This time it was at Saint Francis, the team that lost to Shawnee State (Ohio) in last year's NAIA national title game.
The outcome was the same - Grace lost - but this time Saint Francis put the game away in the first half.
With 12:15 to go in the first half, Grace and Saint Francis were tied 9-9. Twelve minutes and 15 seconds later, Saint Francis took a 39-14 halftime lead into the locker room, courtesy of a 30-5 run.
"We consider ourselves to be a defensive team," Saint Francis coach Bruce Patterson said. "Most people who play us worry about what we can do offensively -Êwe can outrun you, we can run up and down the court, we can shoot the ball outside.
"What they really need to worry about is our defense. When we get you out there in the fullcourt and you start making mistakes, you can make a bunch in a hurry, and that's what happened to them."
The Cougars and their full-court press and trapping defense caused 26 Lancer turnovers -Êin the first half. The Lancers handled the ball as if wearing oven mitts.
"We had our opportunities," Wynn said. "We liked where we were, not only at 9-9, but even when it was 13-9. We felt we were in a good position.
"We just wanted to hang around. But when you have 26 turnovers in the first half, you can't expect good things.
Offensively, Eckert ignited the Cougars. With Saint Francis leading 13-9 at the 8:50 mark, two Eckert three-pointers sandwiched around a Grace free throw upped the lead to 19-10 30 seconds later. Eckert's steal with seven minutes left led to two Saint Francis free throws, and the Cougars were on their way up 23-10. The game was never in doubt again.
Now Wynn focuses on the future. She inherited a program low on numbers - she had nine players on her roster this season. Wynn, when not coaching current players at games or practices, shakes bushes and beats down paths to find quality recruits. She has traveled as far as three hours away during the season to watch potential recruits; she also is eyeing a player in Idaho, though she hasn't traveled there yet.
"I plan to be around here for a while," Wynn said. "It won't be a quick fix. Rome wasn't built in a day. We're looking at four or five years, depending on how recruiting goes.
"I think our program is definitely on the rise. I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to come in with, regardless of the number of players. We have some good quality players returning, and we'll have some quality recruits coming in."
No. 1 SAINT FRANCIS 84
GRACE 43
Grace (5-23) 14 29 - 43
Saint Francis (27-1) 39 45 - 84
Grace FG FT A S R Pts.
Arthur (G) 4-7 2-3 2 1 4 12
Mantegna (F) 5-12 0-0 3 2 5 10
Helmuth (G) 2-4 3-4 1 4 3 9
Doron (F) 2-3 2-4 0 0 8 6
Mowery (F) 0-2 1-2 2 1 0 1
Devros 1-5 3-4 1 1 2 5
Marquis 0-1 0-0 0 0 2 0
Rees 0-2 0-0 0 0 1 0
Team - - - - 6 -
Totals 14-36 11-17 9 9 31 43
Saint Francis FG FT A S R Pts.
Meyers (F) 3-3 7-8 2 0 2 13
Parrett (G) 2-6 6-6 2 6 2 11
Schlegel (F) 5-9 1-2 2 3 6 11
Richardson (G) 2-9 4-6 11 7 2 9
Dunbar (F) 0-2 0-0 1 0 1 0
Eckert 6-8 0-0 1 2 4 17
Parker 6-7 0-0 0 1 2 15
Thomas 2-6 0-0 0 0 3 4
Working 1-3 0-0 0 1 1 3
McClurg 0-0 1-2 0 0 1 1
Starkweather 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Patterson 0-1 0-0 3 2 0 0
Neu 0-1 0-0 1 0 2 0
Team - - - - 2 -
Totals 27-55 19-24 23 22 28 84
Three-point goals -ÊSaint Francis 11-25 (Eckert 5-7, Parker 3-3, Richardson 1-6, Parrett 1-3, Working 1-2, Dunbar 0-2, Patterson 0-1, Schlegel 0-1), Grace 4-9 (Helmuth 2-3, Arthur 2-2, Devros 0-2, Rees 0-1, Mantegna 0-1). Turnovers - Grace 33, Saint Francis 16. Fouled out -ÊMowery, Doron. Total fouls - Grace 22, Saint Francis 19. [[In-content Ad]]