Grace Men’s Basketball Rolls Past SAU, Still Undefeated
February 4, 2024 at 4:40 p.m.
SPRING ARBOR, Mich. - Grace’s perfect season continued on Saturday with an 84-67 victory at Spring Arbor on Saturday.
The No. 1 Lancers (22-0, 12-0 Crossroads League) are the only remaining undefeated team left in men’s college basketball. Grace is enjoying its best start in program history and longest winning streak ever.
Following its typical form, Grace had 10 players score a point during the win. The Lancers shot 54 percent from the floor while outrebounding the Cougars (11-11, 4-8 CL) by six.
Grace was slow to get on track offensively to begin Saturday’s game; the Lancers needed more than three minutes to make their first field goal, a bucket from Jake Wadding.
The Cougars, on the other hand, raced out to a 12-6 lead. Carter Stoltzfus hit a 3-pointer on Grace’s next possession, and Wadding followed that up with a basket.
The Lancers soon went on an 8-1 run thanks to scores from four different players. Malone’s hoop with 8:46 remaining in the half put the Lancers in front for the first time at 19-17.
Jakob Gibbs enjoyed an eruption with six minutes to play. He sank a 3-pointer and then converted an athletic layup while getting fouled, capping off six points in the span of 39 seconds.
He later added five more points in another quick explosion, boosting Grace’s cushion to nine.
Elijah Malone scored in the waning seconds, sending Grace to a 40-31 lead as the game reached halftime.
The Lancers shot 63 percent from the floor and 40 percent on 3-pointers. They scored 22 points in the paint, ending the half on a 19-4 run.
The Gibbs brothers were electric offensively for Grace. They each scored 11 points in the half, combining to shoot 7 of 8 from the floor.
The teams traded scores to begin the second half with the Lancers aggressively attacking the hoop. Grace made six free throws over the first six minutes.
With less than 12 minutes to play, Grace opened up a double-digit cushion. Brett Sickafoose canned a 3-pointer, Gage Sefton hit two foul shots, and Ian Scott scored a fastbreak layup to hand the Lancers a 13-point lead at 61-48.
A minute later, Malone stole a pass and raced down for a one-handed jam, pushing Grace’s lead to 15. He made a left-handed hook on the next play to make the score 67-50 and force a timeout by SAU.
The Lancers maintained a comfortable lead for the rest of regulation, coasting to the 17-point margin of victory.
Cade Gibbs led Grace with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists; he shot 5 of 8 from the floor and 11 of 12 from the free throw line.
Jakob Gibbs tallied 17 points with a pair of 3s, nabbing two steals as well. Wadding notched 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting.
Sefton poured in eight points and three steals in 13 minutes, Malone had eight points with three blocks, Ian Scott scored six, and Stoltzfus added five points.
The Lancers are nearing the end of five road games in a six-game stretch. Grace’s last road game during that stretch is Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. game at Taylor.
Lady Lancers Drop Road Contest Against Spring Arbor
SPRING ARBOR, Mich. - Grace College’s women’s basketball dropped a hard fought Crossroads League battle against Spring Arbor on Saturday afternoon.
The Lancers (11-11, 6-6 CL) nearly overcame a pair of double digit deficits, but ultimately fell short as the Cougars (18-4, 9-3 CL) won 66-55.
Both teams employed high-intensity defense from the opening whistle which each offense struggled to solve.
Michigan native Morganne Houke had the game’s first points with a trifecta that just beat shot clock.
Nearly four minutes had elapsed before the Cougars finally got on the scoreboard. SAU momentarily jumped ahead 4-3 before another trifecta, this time from Kaylee Patton, put Grace back in front.
The lead was traded back and forth with Houk adding another 3-point shot before the Cougars ended the quarter on an 11-2 run. SAU took full advantage of nine Lancer turnovers, turning them into the same number of points.
A Kate Rulli layup ended the quarter and put the score at 22-13 in favor of SAU entering the second quarter.
The Cougars had a strong start to the second frame and pushed their advantage to as many as 14 points.
Peyton Murphy began to cut into the deficit with a basket and a free throw and it was cut back to single digits after Kensie Ryman sank a pair at the charity stripe.
SAU pushed the lead back to 11 with a shot beyond the arc, but Grace continued to claw back.
Rulli scored a tough layup through traffic and Maddie Ryman had an old-fashioned 3-point play to continue the Grace run. Houk added another shot from the charity stripe to pull Grace within seven entering halftime.
After the halftime intermission Grace cut the deficit to 33-28, but SAU used timely shooting to extend the lead back to 11 points by the midpoint of the quarter.
Houk answered the run with her third shot from range of the game and Patton followed it up with a finish through contact. Patton added two more points at the free throw line to pull the Lancers within four points.
Houk scored on a late drive to the basket but the Cougars responded by going the length of the floor in just seconds to score at the quarter buzzer and take a 47-41 lead into the final stanza.
Houk started the fourth quarter by bouncing a shot in from range and Murphy drew the Lancers within a point after a fastbreak score.
Grace was unable to get any closer though as the Cougars pulled away with an impressive 13-1 run and ultimately won 66-55.
“This was a frustrating loss for everyone in that locker room,” said Grace head coach Dan Davis. “I felt like we gave them the win today with a bad combination with our turnovers, missed layups and free throws. The effort was there and you could see when we fought back in the second half, but we have to play smarter and be way more consistent in the little things.”
Grace finished the game shooting 32 percent compared to 44 percent from SAU. The Lancers committed four more turnovers than the Cougars and SAU held a 24-15 advantage on points off of turnovers.
SAU also held a 36-22 advantage on points scored in the paint.
Houk led Grace with 17 points and Murphy double doubled with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
The Lancers will be back in action Wednesday with a road matchup against Taylor.
SPRING ARBOR, Mich. - Grace’s perfect season continued on Saturday with an 84-67 victory at Spring Arbor on Saturday.
The No. 1 Lancers (22-0, 12-0 Crossroads League) are the only remaining undefeated team left in men’s college basketball. Grace is enjoying its best start in program history and longest winning streak ever.
Following its typical form, Grace had 10 players score a point during the win. The Lancers shot 54 percent from the floor while outrebounding the Cougars (11-11, 4-8 CL) by six.
Grace was slow to get on track offensively to begin Saturday’s game; the Lancers needed more than three minutes to make their first field goal, a bucket from Jake Wadding.
The Cougars, on the other hand, raced out to a 12-6 lead. Carter Stoltzfus hit a 3-pointer on Grace’s next possession, and Wadding followed that up with a basket.
The Lancers soon went on an 8-1 run thanks to scores from four different players. Malone’s hoop with 8:46 remaining in the half put the Lancers in front for the first time at 19-17.
Jakob Gibbs enjoyed an eruption with six minutes to play. He sank a 3-pointer and then converted an athletic layup while getting fouled, capping off six points in the span of 39 seconds.
He later added five more points in another quick explosion, boosting Grace’s cushion to nine.
Elijah Malone scored in the waning seconds, sending Grace to a 40-31 lead as the game reached halftime.
The Lancers shot 63 percent from the floor and 40 percent on 3-pointers. They scored 22 points in the paint, ending the half on a 19-4 run.
The Gibbs brothers were electric offensively for Grace. They each scored 11 points in the half, combining to shoot 7 of 8 from the floor.
The teams traded scores to begin the second half with the Lancers aggressively attacking the hoop. Grace made six free throws over the first six minutes.
With less than 12 minutes to play, Grace opened up a double-digit cushion. Brett Sickafoose canned a 3-pointer, Gage Sefton hit two foul shots, and Ian Scott scored a fastbreak layup to hand the Lancers a 13-point lead at 61-48.
A minute later, Malone stole a pass and raced down for a one-handed jam, pushing Grace’s lead to 15. He made a left-handed hook on the next play to make the score 67-50 and force a timeout by SAU.
The Lancers maintained a comfortable lead for the rest of regulation, coasting to the 17-point margin of victory.
Cade Gibbs led Grace with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists; he shot 5 of 8 from the floor and 11 of 12 from the free throw line.
Jakob Gibbs tallied 17 points with a pair of 3s, nabbing two steals as well. Wadding notched 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting.
Sefton poured in eight points and three steals in 13 minutes, Malone had eight points with three blocks, Ian Scott scored six, and Stoltzfus added five points.
The Lancers are nearing the end of five road games in a six-game stretch. Grace’s last road game during that stretch is Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. game at Taylor.
Lady Lancers Drop Road Contest Against Spring Arbor
SPRING ARBOR, Mich. - Grace College’s women’s basketball dropped a hard fought Crossroads League battle against Spring Arbor on Saturday afternoon.
The Lancers (11-11, 6-6 CL) nearly overcame a pair of double digit deficits, but ultimately fell short as the Cougars (18-4, 9-3 CL) won 66-55.
Both teams employed high-intensity defense from the opening whistle which each offense struggled to solve.
Michigan native Morganne Houke had the game’s first points with a trifecta that just beat shot clock.
Nearly four minutes had elapsed before the Cougars finally got on the scoreboard. SAU momentarily jumped ahead 4-3 before another trifecta, this time from Kaylee Patton, put Grace back in front.
The lead was traded back and forth with Houk adding another 3-point shot before the Cougars ended the quarter on an 11-2 run. SAU took full advantage of nine Lancer turnovers, turning them into the same number of points.
A Kate Rulli layup ended the quarter and put the score at 22-13 in favor of SAU entering the second quarter.
The Cougars had a strong start to the second frame and pushed their advantage to as many as 14 points.
Peyton Murphy began to cut into the deficit with a basket and a free throw and it was cut back to single digits after Kensie Ryman sank a pair at the charity stripe.
SAU pushed the lead back to 11 with a shot beyond the arc, but Grace continued to claw back.
Rulli scored a tough layup through traffic and Maddie Ryman had an old-fashioned 3-point play to continue the Grace run. Houk added another shot from the charity stripe to pull Grace within seven entering halftime.
After the halftime intermission Grace cut the deficit to 33-28, but SAU used timely shooting to extend the lead back to 11 points by the midpoint of the quarter.
Houk answered the run with her third shot from range of the game and Patton followed it up with a finish through contact. Patton added two more points at the free throw line to pull the Lancers within four points.
Houk scored on a late drive to the basket but the Cougars responded by going the length of the floor in just seconds to score at the quarter buzzer and take a 47-41 lead into the final stanza.
Houk started the fourth quarter by bouncing a shot in from range and Murphy drew the Lancers within a point after a fastbreak score.
Grace was unable to get any closer though as the Cougars pulled away with an impressive 13-1 run and ultimately won 66-55.
“This was a frustrating loss for everyone in that locker room,” said Grace head coach Dan Davis. “I felt like we gave them the win today with a bad combination with our turnovers, missed layups and free throws. The effort was there and you could see when we fought back in the second half, but we have to play smarter and be way more consistent in the little things.”
Grace finished the game shooting 32 percent compared to 44 percent from SAU. The Lancers committed four more turnovers than the Cougars and SAU held a 24-15 advantage on points off of turnovers.
SAU also held a 36-22 advantage on points scored in the paint.
Houk led Grace with 17 points and Murphy double doubled with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
The Lancers will be back in action Wednesday with a road matchup against Taylor.