MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - Grace’s men’s basketball team had already wrapped up a share of the Crossroads League regular season crown before Saturday’s game at Mt. Vernon Nazarene.
But the Lancers made sure no sharing would be needed. Grace beat MVNU 84-77 to earn sole ownership of the CL championship, holding off second-place Bethel by one game in the final standings.
Grace and MVNU will meet again in just three days. The Lancers, who have home-court advantage throughout the CL Tournament, will host the Cougars in the quarterfinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Ian Scott and Ian Raasch tied for scoring honors for Grace with 21 points apiece, and the Lancers’ efficient offense held off the Cougars to end the regular season.
No. 6 Grace (23-5, 15-3 CL) displayed stout defense to begin the game, holding MVNU scoreless for nearly three straight minutes.
The Cougars sparked to life with back-to-back triples, but Grace soon asserted itself. A 4-point play from Brett Sickafoose gave Grace the lead for good with 14:43 left in the first half.
A few minutes later, Carter Stoltzfus hit a triple and scored a fastbreak layup in a 13-second span.
Grace’s lead grew to as much as 15 in the opening half. A late flurry by Grace allowed the Lancers to lead 43-31 as the game reached halftime.
Grace shot a sizzling 55 percent from the floor as a team compared to 38 percent for MVNU.
Raasch helped the Lancers start the second half on a positive note; the sophomore scored the first four points of the half, including a steal and slam to push Grace’s cushion to 47-31.
The Cougars were ready to rally, however. Midway into the half, Grace was held to two points over a 4:22 segment. MVNU capitalized by slashing Grace’s lead down to three with nine minutes remaining.
Grace countered with an 8-0 run, propelled by two straight layups from Scott.
MVNU again was prepared for a run. The Cougars pulled to within three again, but Scott provided some breathing room for Grace with two dunks over the final four minutes.
Brett Sickafoose put the finishing touches on the win with four points in the last minute, allowing the Lancers to walk away with the seven-point win.
The Lancers shot 51 percent for the game, 30 percent on 3s and 80 percent on free throws.
Scott tallied 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal, and Raasch had 21 points, 5 boards, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 steal.
Sickafoose scored 13 points with three assists, Gage Sefton notched 8 points, 9 boards and 2 assists, and Stoltzfus added 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
Justin DeGraaf scored seven points off the bench, and Brycen Graber added 5 points, 3 assists and 1 blocked shot.
The Lancers have now won the regular season championship three straight times from the Crossroads League. They’re also three-time defending champs in the CL Tournament.

Lady Lancers Battle Hard In Season Finale
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - Grace College’s women’s basketball team dropped its season final 68-62 to Mount Vernon on Saturday afternoon.
The Lancers (10-18, 3-15 Crossroads League) had three players score in double digits in Saturday’s contest, including Peyton Murphy who had 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Morganne Houk was the first Lancer on the board when she answered a game-opening triple from the Cougars (15-13, 7-11 CL) with one of her own.
Murphy had Grace’s next four points and then Bekah Marshal found her touch from deep to give the Lancers 10-9 lead at the midpoint of the quarter.
MVNU worked their way to a 19-15 lead with 2:13 left but Grace’s defense held the Cougars scoreless for the remainder of the frame.
Marshall scored in traffic and on the next possession Maddy Poytner connected on a trifecta to push the Lancers into the lead. Murphy capped the quarter with an old-fashioned 3-point play to give Grace a 23-19 advantage entering the second quarter.
In the first quarter Grace 53 percent from the floor, 50 percent from beyond the arc and 100 percent from the charity stripe.
The Lancers did not find the same offensive consistency in the second quarter as they enjoyed in the first, but they still led at the midpoint of the quarter and after a layup from Murphy increased the lead to six.
A 7-2 run from the Cougars saw them jump ahead 34-32, but the lead would be short lived as scores from Houk and Murphy recaptured the lead for Grace.
MVNU had a 3-point basket and Marshall closed the half with a tough drive to basket to send Grace into the halftime intermission with a 38-37 lead.
Grace shot an even 50 percent from the floor in the opening half while Murphy exploded for 16 first half points.
MVNU tied the game from the charity stripe in the opening minutes but Murphy put Grace back ahead with a deep shot from beyond the arc.
The lead was traded back and forth over the middle portion of the frame until a 6-0 run for MVNU seemed to slide momentum in the Cougars favor.
A trio of Cougars free throws to end the quarter had the Lancers trailing 55-51 entering the fourth quarter.
The Lancers held the Cougars to their lowest output of the game in the final quarter but were likewise limited offensively.
Grace managed to pull to as close as two points but were unable to overcome the deficit, ultimately losing 68-62.
Grace finished the game shooting 42 percent from the floor with six made trifectas. MVNU shot 39 percent with 10 made 3-point field goals. Both teams had 26 rebounds. Grace had two more turnovers.
Houke finished the game with 17 points and Marshall also found double digits. Poynter had nine points and Kensie Ryman grabbed 10 rebounds.
This marks the final game for seniors Murphy, Ryman and Kate Rulli.