Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
FORT WAYNE - Being ranked for the first time since 1992, the Grace men's basketball team came into Thursday's game IPFW wondering whether they would play like a confident team with more to prove or a tight and conservative squad.
"I hope we don't pay attention to that thing," Grace coach Jim Kessler said before the game. "I hope we focus on what we need to focus on to be a good team. We've got to play good defense. We're not explosive. We're not methodical now. I'm a John Wooden-ite here. He always wanted his players to play consistent, not too high or too low."
The Lancers got their answer in a 60-48 loss to the Dons, struggling against the NCAA Division II team.
The trademark Lancer defense kept the Lancers close most of the game. Grace allowed only two points in the first seven minutes of the game, but scored only six points itself over that span.
Grace took its largest lead, 14-10, when Seth Gilmer knocked down a three-pointer with eight minutes to play in the opening half. After leading 16-15, the IPFW defense clamped down on the Lancers as Grace went on a five-minute scoring drought that saw the 1-point lead turn into an 8-point deficit. A three-pointer by Bert McLaughlin helped cut the lead to 24-20 at the half.
Grace shot only 29 percent in the opening half.
In the second half, the Lancer offense seemed to come alive as Andy Schmidt and McLaughlin hit back-to-back threes to even the score at 26. The full court trapping defense of the Mastadons then began to create confusion for Grace. The Lancers went 5:30 without a bucket and trailed 36-26 with 12 minutes left.
The Lancers eventually whittled the lead to 49-46 on another McLaughlin trey, but IPFW went on an 11-2 run to seal the victory.
Darren Gagnon led the Lancers with 16 points and 16 boards.
The offense was just not there as the Lancers shot 27 percent for the game and made only two second half baskets inside the three-point arc. Grace also had 19 turnovers.
Grace (10-3) plays Manchester College Saturday at the Fort Wayne Coliseum at 3 p.m.
IPFW 60, GRACE 48
Grace 20 28 - 48
IPFW 24 36 - 60
Grace - Gagnon 5-16 6-8 16, Joiner 0-3 0-0 0, M.Christner 0-0 0-0 0, Schmidt 2-10 0-0 6, McLaughlin 3-14 3-4 12, C.Gilmer 0-1 2-2 2, B.Elliott 1-2 1-1 3, S.Gilmer 2-3 0-0 5, Gornik 1-2 1-2 4, Damer 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 14-52 13-17 48.
IPFW - Porter 4-9 4-5 12, Beatty 1-3 0-0 2, Kirby 1-3 2-2 4, Key 0-3 2-2 2, Werling 1-2 0-0 2, Spicer 1-5 0-1 3, Miller 2-5 1-1 5, Falcone 2-3 0-0 4, Moore 8-14 5-5 22, Adams 2-5 0-1 4. Totals 22-52 14-17 60.
