Lancers Notch Overtime Win
WINONA LAKE – The Grace College men’s basketball team may not have played its best game of the season, but the 22nd-ranked Lancers found a way to win on Tuesday night against Marian.
Greg Miller scored 22 points, and Bruce Grimm Jr. added 20 more as the Lancers pulled away in overtime to win 59-54.
The Lancers (14-6; 6-3 Crossroads League) started the game slowly, not scoring their first basket for nearly three minutes. But three minutes after Greg Miller’s opening basket, the Lancers had turned a 4-0 deficit into an 11-6 lead.
Grace’s defense had Marian in a stranglehold for much of the first half. Overall the Knights (12-7; 4-5 CL) made just 23.3 percent of their shot attempts before halftime and trailed Grace 27-19.
Two minutes into the second half, however, it was Grace’s turn to go cold on the offensive end. The Lancers led 33-23 with 17:56 to play. But Grace made only one field goal over the next 7:35 as Marian battled back to tie the score at 37-37.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Marian’s Nick Achille gave the Knights their largest lead of the game at 43-38 with less than nine minutes remaining.
Marian maintained a razor-thin lead down the stretch and were ahead 48-46 with 2:34 on the clock.
Miller received a pass from Grimm in the post and scored to knot the game at 48-48, and Marian misfired on a pair of 3-pointers on their possession to hand Grace the final shot of regulation.
Grimm dribbled into the lane and nearly banked in a jump shot at the buzzer, but it missed wide to send the game into an extra period.
Marian scored on their first two possessions of overtime to claim a four-point advantage. Grace then countered with a 9-0 run of their own to clinch the game.
Miller muscled his way to a pair of baskets in the paint, Dennis Williams converted a hoop for Grace, and Grimm stole a pass and raced the other way for a breakaway layup as the Lancers took the lead for good.
Lee Ross and Grimm iced the win with three free throws over the final 16 seconds.
Miller led all players in both points (22) and rebounds (10). He made 8-of-14 from the field to go along with a pair of 3-pointers.
Grimm’s 20 points came on 7-of-12 shooting. Grimm, the league leader in assists, handed out seven assists to go along with three steals.
Williams scored a season-best 10 points, to go with five boards and two blocks, and Karl Columbus chipped in with four points and three rebounds.
The Lancers continue league play on Saturday when they travel to Mount Vernon Nazarene at 3 p.m.