HUNTINGTON - The Grace College men's basketball team dropped an 89-85 double overtime game to Huntington University in the Mid-Central Conference semifinals.
With 14 seconds left in regulation, Grace and Huntington were tied at 58-58. Lancers junior guard Marcus Moore shot a three-pointer as time expired, but the shot was off the mark as the game headed into extra time. Moore ended the game with 25 points.The Lancers pulled out to a 65-60 lead with two minutes to play in the extra session. The Foresters closed the gap to three points at 68-65 with 1:10 to play. Grace junior guard Kyle Johnson hit a big basket to give Grace another five point lead at 70-65 with 40 seconds left on the clock. Johnson scored a team-high 30 points.
Huntington scored a bucket with 31 seconds left to make it a 70-67 advantage. HU forced a Lancer turnover and took advantage with a basket to cut the Grace advantage to 70-69. Sophomore guard Michael Wienhorst went to the foul line for Grace with 16 seconds left and promptly made the score 72-69. Huntington moved the ball down the court and got a three-pointer off at the buzzer and rattled it home to force a second overtime with a 72-72 tie.
Huntington quickly pulled away from Grace via a 9-2 run to garner an 81-74 lead with 2:18 left to play. The Foresters carried an eight point lead of 87-79 with just over 20 seconds left on the clock. Grace would not back down and hit a three to cut the deficit to five points at 87-82. The Lancers forced a turnover and drained another three with five seconds on the clock to make an 87-85 game. But Huntington answered the bell by hitting both free throws to nail down the 89-85 win and a birth to the MCC Championship game.
Huntington advances to the MCC Championship game to play Indiana Wesleyan University Tuesday night. Grace will host Spring Arbor University at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Lancer Gymnasium for the right to compete in the NCCAA National Championships.
HUNTINGTON 89, GRACE 85
G 29 29 14 13 - 85
H 34 24 14 17 - 89
Grace - Ritter 0-2 0-0 0, M. Moore 9-22 3-4 25, S. Moore 1-4 0-0 3, Johnson 14-26 0-0 30, Gaff 4-13 3-9 11, Kaiser 2-5 0-0 3, Leighton 2-9 0-0 5, Wienhorst 1-2 4-4 7. Totals 33-85 10-17 85.
