Undefeated Vanguard Edges Grace College LancersCHANDLER, Ariz. – A poor shooting performance spoiled a great defensive game by Grace College’s men’s basketball team Monday against Vanguard University.
The Lancers, playing at Gilbert-Chandler Community College in Arizona for the Cactus Classic, nearly handed Vanguard its first loss of the season, but the Lions held on for a narrow 68-66 victory.
Grace held Vanguard (11-0) to its lowest scoring output of the season. The Lancers (9-5) forced the Lions into their first game under 70 points, but Grace was unable to overcome its own shooting issues.
The Lancers shot just 40 percent from the floor and made five three-pointers, tied for the team’s second-fewest this year.
The first half was a physical battle with the sides doing most of their scoring in the paint. The score was tied eight times in the first half alone, and neither team had a lead of more than four points.
Grace was aggressive attacking the basket and was rewarded with 21 free throws before halftime, but the Lancers only converted on 67 percent of their foul shots. Grace missed six free throws over the final six minutes of the half, including a pair of bonus foul shots.
Grace still led by two at halftime (31-29) thanks to nine points from Logan Godfrey.
Godfrey was even more active offensively in the second half, but Vanguard started to pull away. The Lions scored four quick points after halftime to erase Grace’s lead, and Vanguard led by eight at 50-42 with 10:02 remaining in the game.
Grace did its best to rally, but offense was at a premium for much of the second half. The Lancers’ defense kept the Lions within striking distance, but Grace could not piece together a significant scoring burst until the final minutes.
Grace ripped off 12 points over the final 1:27 of regulation to almost pull off a miraculous comeback. In comparison, Grace had scored just 23 points for the first 18:33 of the second half.
The Lancers trailed by eight with just under 1:30 to play, but Braxton Linville and Haden Deaton hit contested three-pointers to give Grace a shot. Layups by Charlie Warner and Jaret Sons helped keep pressure on Vanguard.
But the Lions made 8 of 8 from the free throw line over the last two minutes to ice the win, and time expired on Grace’s comeback.
Godfrey was the game’s high scorer, producing 24 points, 14 rebounds and two assists. Deaton was next in scoring for Grace by tallying 15 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists. No other Lancer reached double figures in points.
Warner had six points and six boards, Eddie Gill IV had seven points and two steals before fouling out, and Linville added six points and three assists.
The Lancers wrap up their Arizona trip today with a matchup against Thompson Rivers University.
Brandon Brothers led Vanguard with 17 points, while Malachi Hoosein added 15 points and eight rebounds, Devin Riley scored 13 points, and Geremy McKay chipped in with 12 points and five boards.
