Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE -ÊAfter losing to Division I-A Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne, No. 1 St. Francis and No. 21 Bethel in the last three games, the schedule eased up on Grace College's women's basketball team on Wednesday.
The 6-11 Lancers faced 8-5 Marian, a team that went 9-19 last year.
"We felt like this was a very winnable game for us," Grace coach Lori Wynn said.
It was, as no more than six points separated the two teams until the final minute. But the Lancers' mistakes throughout the game finally caught up with them, and Marian pulled away to win 55-46. Marian improves to 2-1 in the Mid-Central Conference, while Grace falls to 0-3 in the MCC.
The Lancers finished with almost as many turnovers (29) as shot attempts (35). Their turnovers in the first half (20) outnumbered their shot attempts (13). They made only four field goals in the first half but were down by only four at halftime, 23-19, thanks to the free throw line. Grace hit 11 of 16 free throws in the first half, while Marian was 3 of 4.
Neither team turned in a sterling performance. Grace shot 13 of 35 (37 percent) for the game, while Marian was 20 of 53 (38 percent). Grace had 29 turnovers, and Marian had 25.
Grace cut down on its turnovers and shot better in the second half, but the Lancers couldn't get key defensive stops. The defensive breakdowns usually allowed 5-foot-8 junior Lori Warmoth, who led Marian with 17 points, to take advantage.
Grace tied the game at 28-28 with 15:47 left; 14 seconds later Warmoth responded with a three-point play to make it 31-28. Grace closed within one at 33-32 with 13:51 left; 17 seconds later Warmoth answered with a three-pointer to make it 36-32. She tacked on another field goal to stretch the lead to 38-32.
The Lancers refused to fade away, and they trailed 41-40 with less than seven minutes left. Marian again turned to Warmoth, who again delivered a big basket, a three-pointer to extend the lead to 44-40 with 6:51 left. Leading 44-42, reserve guard Kristina Grimes dropped in a three-pointer, her only points of the game, to bump the lead to 47-42 with 4:34 left. Warmoth didn't score that time, but she delivered the assist to Grimes.
Warmoth and Grimes were left open on their back-to-back three-pointers.
"I'm searching for the right words," Wynn said. "It's not realizing who their shooters are and getting out on them."
Warmoth entered second on the team in scoring with 12 points per game.
"[Warmoth] is a very good offensive player," Marian coach Mike Springer said, "who has a lot of moves with the basketball. She can post up, she can hit the three, and she can hit the mid-range jumper."
Grace closed within 47-44, but Marian outscored the Lancers 8-2 in the final minute to seal the win. The Knights played solid man-to-man defense, constantly pressuring the ball out on the perimeter.
While the Knights continually increased their lead each time Grace had it down to a one-possession game, Springer still felt uncomfortable.
"No, we never felt we were in control of the game, because we didn't shoot well," he said. "But we were playing good defense, and when you aren't shooting well, that keeps you in the game.
"We wanted to be in a position to win the game the last five minutes. We wanted to come in here and wear them out and create distance in the last five minutes."
The Lancers played just eight players while Marian played 12, but Wynn downplayed depth as a factor.
"We've played with only seven or eight all year," she said.
Freshman Tracie Mezera scored 17 to lead Grace. No other Lancer scored more than seven.
The Lancers were missing starter Nikki Heaphy. Heaphy, their third-leading scorer, is out with a calf injury.
Even without Heaphy, Wynn liked her team's chances at home against Marian.
"We had just gone through a very tough stretch," Wynn said, "and we felt like that would get us ready for this game."
MARIAN 55, GRACE 46
Marian (9-5) 23 32 - 55
Grace (6-12) 19 27 - 46
Marian FG FT A S R Pts.
Warmoth (G) 6-15 3-3 2 2 4 17
Noggle (C) 5-11 5-6 0 1 8 15
McIntosh (F) 2-10 0-0 2 2 2 5
Meal (G) 1-3 2-2 1 2 3 4
Pride (F) 1-3 0-0 0 0 4 2
Mason 2-3 0-0 0 0 0 4
Grimes 1-4 0-0 0 2 2 3
Trotter 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 2
Jordan 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 2
Parks 0-1 1-2 1 1 1 1
Roberts 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 0
Ritchie 0-1 0-0 0 2 3 0
Team 6
Totals 20-53 11-13 7 12 33 55
Grace FG FT A S R Pts.
Mezera (G) 5-13 7-10 0 0 1 17
Helmuth (G) 2-5 2-3 0 1 3 7
Mowery (F) 2-3 0-0 1 6 5 4
Bollier (F) 2-3 0-2 0 1 5 4
Edwards (C) 1-6 0-1 1 3 8 2
Krach 1-1 4-6 0 1 0 6
Marquis 0-2 5-6 0 1 1 5
McClure 0-2 1-2 0 0 4 1
Team 4
Totals 13-35 19-30 2 13 31 46
Three-point goals -ÊMarian 4-9 (Warmoth 2-3, Grimes 1-3, McIntosh 1-2, Parks 0-1), Grace 1-9 (Helmuth 1-3, Mezera 0-4, Bollier 0-1, McClure 0-1). Turnovers -ÊMarian 25, Grace 29. Fouled out -ÊNone. Total fouls -ÊGrace 16, Marian 21.
