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POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - When the Grace College Lancers, said veteran coach Jim Kessler, can get an opponent to play bad, they have a chance to win.
That was certainly the case Thursday morning in their first-round game of the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament at College of the Ozarks' Keeter Gymnasium.
In a thrilling 54-50 victory, the Lancers held the Bellevue University Bruins 30 points below their season scoring average.
Bellevue, which entered the game with a 28-5 record and the No. 7 seed in the 32-team, single-elimination tournament, scored just 17 points in the second half and made just 17 of 52 attempts (33 percent) from the field overall.
"That's what we've done all year," said Kessler, whose team improved to 22-10 and advanced to Friday's round of 16. "All year long, we've defended when we've had to. When we can get a team to play bad, we have a chance. We only gave up 17 points in the second half ... wow."
The Bruins were making their 13th straight national tournament apperance, and Thursday's four-point loss to the Lancers was the first time since 2006 that Bellevue has lost in the first round.
"We have the No. 1 team in the nation in our conference, and the No. 9 team, and the No. 10 team," said Grace College junior point guard Logan Irwin, who led the Lancers with a game-high 21 points. "We're used to games like this. We have confidence in each other, and in our defense."
After a first half that featured nine lead changes, the Lancers trailed in the second half until Irwin gave Grace a 51-50 advantage with 1:29 remaining.
The Lancers had a chance to add to their lead but turned the ball over with 23 seconds left.
Bellevue, trying to recapture the lead, then turned the ball over on the ensuing possession.
With nine seconds remaining, Grace College junior Kyle Fillman made the first of a two-shot free throw opportunity.
Grace junior Caleb Featherston, Fillman's high school teammate at Norwell, skyed for the rebound and secured it. Featherston got the ball to Irwin, who was fouled with three seconds left.
Irwin made both of his charity tosses to ice the game and punch the Lancers' ticket to Friday's 1:45 p.m. CT game.
"It was a heads-up play," Kessler said of the 6-foot-3 Featherston's rebound and outlet to Irwin. "He's a bright player, and he made a big play."
Junior Brandon Vanderhegghen scored 18 points and grabbed nine boards for the Lancers, while Featherston finished with six points and six rebounds.
"It feels good," Featherston said of the win. "We definitely didn't want to drive home tonight. We want to stay and keep playing."
Taylor Young led Bellevue with 11 points, while Dimitri Chonis and Marquis Aaron scored eight points each.
GRACE COLLEGE 54, BELLEVUE UNIVERSITY 50
GC 30 24 - 54
BU 33 17 - 50
Grace - Caleb Featherston 2-4 2-4 6, Kyle Fillman 1-2 1-2 3, Logan Irwin 7-14 6-8 21, Niko Read 0-10 0-0 0, Brandon Vanderhegghen 7-14 2-4 18, Stephen Halstead 0-2 0-0 0, Drew Perrin 0-0 0-0 0, Dennis Williams 1-2 0-0 2, Chad Hoffer 0-3 0-0 0, Erik Bown 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 20-53 11-18 54.
Bellevue - Dimitri Chonis 2-7 3-4 6, Marquis Aaron 4-4 0-1 8, Percy Lemle 1-7 2-4 4, Thomas Hammock 0-3 0-0 0, Olutola Olushola 1-3 4-4 6, Taylor Young 4-12 2-4 11, Yusuf Shehata 0-3 0-0 0, Alex Worthen-Harris 3-9 1-1 7, Pogos Trunyan 0-2 2-2 2, Ian Randolph 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 17-52 14-20 50.
Three-pointers - Grace 3 (Vanderhegghen 2, Irwin), Bellevue 2 (Chonis, Young); Rebounds - Grace 37 (Vanderhegghen 9), Bellevue 34 (Chonis 6); Turnovers - Grace 17, Bellevue 15; Fouls - Grace 20, Bellevue 19; Technical foul - Read (Grace); Records: Grace 22-10, Bellevue 28-6
