(RV) USF Comes Up Short at No. 6 Grace
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
(RV) Saint Francis (Ind.) | 39 | 41 | 80 |
|
#6 Grace | 45 | 39 | 84 |
WINONA LAKE, Ind. - The (RV) University of Saint Francis (Ind.) men's basketball team fell short against the No. 6 Lancers of Grace College by a final score of 84-80 on Wednesday, February 19.
Grace's offense started strong on Wednesday night, with the Lancers jumping out to a 10-point lead at the 15:37 mark in the first half. The Cougars rallied, cutting the Lancers' lead to 29-24 with 10:15 on the clock. Although Grace managed to maintain their lead, USF fought back and brought the game within two points with just 3:33 remaining on the clock. The Lancers responded by scoring in their next few possessions, pulling ahead to a 45-39 lead by halftime.
Isaiah Malone opened the second half with a layup and a dunk, narrowing the score to just two points at the 19-minute mark. The hard-fought battle continued, with the Cougars managing to keep the Lancers from scoring for nearly four minutes as USF worked to close the gap in Grace's lead. A three-pointer from Robert Fry II with just 1:21 left in Wednesday night's game brought the Cougars within one point, making the score 77-76. Grace quickly answered with a three-pointer of their own, extending their lead back to four points with under a minute remaining. In the final moments, a free throw brought USF within two points, but as the clock expired, Grace scored a layup, securing the four-point victory.
As a team, the Cougars shot 50.0% (30-60) from the floor and 44.4% (12-27) from deep. Malone led with 24 points while pulling down five rebounds. Luke Almodovar added 14 points, while Branden Northern scored 11 points and dished out five assists. Joe Reidy also scored in double digits on Wednesday with 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds and two steals. Zane Burke had a game-high eight assists and six rebounds.
Up next, Saint Francis men's basketball (17-10, 10-7) will host Spring Arbor University during Senior Day in Hutzell Athletic Center on Saturday, February 22. USF beat SAU 81-79 in their first matchup of the season in Michigan.
Cougar fans can stay updated on all events and recaps with USF Athletics by visiting saintfranciscougars.com.
