WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace's men's basketball team put itself in position to topple No. 2-ranked Indiana Wesleyan on Tuesday night. But the Lancers failed to seal the win at the free throw line, falling 61-60 to the Wildcats at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center.

Grace missed four of its final five free throws in the final minutes, and the Wildcats (9-1, 2-0 Crossroads League) sank two foul shots with four seconds remaining to take down the upset-minded Lancers (5-3, 0-2 CL).

Logan Irwin had a chance at a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer, but his shot under heavy pressure was off the mark.

The Lancers' free throw issues were not limited to the final few minutes. Grace struggled to 47.6 percent from the foul line for the game, making 10-of-21. Conversely, Indiana Wesleyan was 15-of-20 on free throws which included 14-of-17 (82 percent) in the second half.

In the opening half, Grace's strong defensive effort hampered the Wildcats into 33 percent shooting. Grace's swarming defense had Indiana Wesleyan in fits as the Wildcats committed 12 turnovers before halftime.

The Lancers, on the other hand, were aggressive in their attack of the rim. Grace produced 11 foul shots but only made five of their attempts. Grace finished the half 1-of-6 at the free throw line, allowing Indiana Wesleyan to sneak ahead late for a one-point lead. Logan Irwin made a shot in the lane, however, to reclaim a 32-31 advantage that Grace took into the halftime locker room.

The second half was a back-and-forth affair. IWU grabbed its largest lead of the game at 52-46 with 9:33 to play. Grace responded with seven straight points. A 3-pointer from the wing by Niko Read, one of his three 3's in the game, lifted the Lancers to a 56-54 lead with under six minutes to play. The Lancers would not surrender that lead until the final four seconds.

Greg Miller and Niko Read tied for scoring honors in the game with 13 points apiece. Read was a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.

Logan Irwin had a well-rounded performance with 11 points, 5 boards, 4 assists and 4 steals. Caleb Featherston had eight first-half points, and Brandon Vanderhegghen had eight points and five rebounds.

The Lancers will aim for its first win in league play on Saturday on the road against Goshen.