Lawrence Tech bests Grace in season opener
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Grace’s men’s basketball team began the 2017-18 season on the road on Tuesday, suffering a 76-71 loss at Lawrence Tech.
The Lancers took 20 more shots than LTU and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, but poor shooting hurt Grace’s cause. Grace was just 6-of-25 from beyond the arc (24 percent) and were outshot 20-4 from the foul line.
Logan Godfrey, who scored a game-high 23 points, netted the first points of the season for Grace to put the Lancers ahead 2-0. The Blue Devils (1-1) quickly grabbed the lead and held it for the rest of the half.
Grace trailed by as many as seven in the opening half, but a late basket from Jaret Sons trimmed Grace’s deficit to 33-30 at halftime.
Less than three minutes into the second half, Grace pulled ahead. The Lancers (0-1) scored seven unanswered points, ended by five straight from freshman Haden Deaton, to seize a four-point edge.
The game remained close as another Deaton 3-pointer put Grace on top 57-54 with 9:39 remaining. The Blue Devils rallied at that point with an 8-0 spurt over the next three minutes to take the lead for good.
Grace pulled within a point twice down the stretch and had several looks to tie the score in the final minutes, but the Lancers came up empty in the five-point loss.
Godfrey’s 23 points came on an impressive 11-of-14 shooting in 22 minutes. Deaton poured in 17 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in his collegiate debut, drilling three 3-pointers.
Sons scored 13 points and eight boards off the bench, and Matt Jennings tallied six points and four assists in his first college game.
Erik Bowen had four points and eight rebounds, Braxton Linville totaled six rebounds and four assists, and Martin Schiele also made his Lancer debut with four points on 2-of-2 shooting.
The Lancers return home for the Lancer Tipoff Classic on Friday and Saturday. Grace will host Judson on Friday at 8 p.m. and Governors State on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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