WINONA LAKE - Grace College’s women’s basketball team improved to 3-0 on the season with a 25-point victory over Alice Lloyd on Saturday afternoon.
The win was the second in as many days for the Lancers who wrapped up the Val Weinstein Classic with a pair of wins. Grace outscored their two opponents by a combined 55 points in the classic.
Morganne Houk led the way for Grace with a career high 21 points, while also grabbing six rebounds. Grace has now had a player set a career high in points in each of the three games to open the 2024-25 campaign.
Grace was fresh off of a 30-point drubbing of Midway the night before, but seemed sluggish to start out Saturday’s contest.
Alice Lloyd jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter as the Lancers struggled offensively. Grace shot 36% in the opening frame including one-for-six from beyond the arc. The Eagles also forced the Lancers into six turnovers which they converted into seven points.
The Lancers trailed by as many seven points in the quarter but cut the deficit to four by the quarter break.
After surrendering the first bucket of the second frame, Molly Long connected on a free throw which sparked a 7-0 run for the Lancers who edged ahead 25-24.
Alice Lloyd momentarily rebuilt the lead to four points but back-to-back trifectas from Bekah Marshall and Houk had the Lancers off and running.
The pair of 3-point baskets saw Grace go on an 18-3 run as they caught fire from the field. The Lancers shot 63% from the floor in the quarter and hit five threes. At the halftime intermission Grace led 53-41. Houk had 17 first-half points.
Grace continued their red hot shooting in the second half as Sophia Morrison started the third stanza with a shot from beyond the arc.
At the midpoint of the quarter Grace’s lead reached 19 points after Long started a fast break with a block, then Houk cashed in on the offensive end with an acrobatic layup.
Morrison hit her fifth 3-point field goal of the game late in the third quarter to push the Lancers’ advantage to 22 points.
With the game well in hand, 10 players saw action for Grace in the final stanza as the Lancers iced away the game with a 93-68 win.
Grace had four players score in double digits as Morrison contributed 19 points, Marshall had 17 to go along with Peyton Murphy’s 17.
Murphy also picked up her third double-double of the season, with 17 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Grace finished the game shooting 45% from the field while connecting on 11 three-point field goals. The Lancers out rebounded the Eagles 48 to 38.
The Lancers will be back in action on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. showdown with Cornerstone.