WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace used a stifling defensive performance to cruise by Taylor 70-47 on Tuesday in the Crossroads League opener.

The Lancers (8-1, 1-0 CL) held Taylor to less than 25 points scored in each half.

Defense dominated the first half of action. Grace went into halftime with a 32-24 lead despite shooting just 39 percent from the floor.

The Trojans (3-4, 0-1 CL) were held to 37 percent on their field goals, committing eight turnovers before halftime. 

Grace's defense limited Taylor to six points through the first 8:04, jumping out to a 16-6 lead. The Lancers led with their muscle, scoring 18 of their 32 points in the paint.

Taylor opened the second half by scoring seven unanswered points, whittling Grace's lead down to one at 32-31. But Brandon Vanderhegghen and Erik Bowen took over for Grace, combining to outscore the Trojans 14-2 by themselves over the next four minutes. Both players converted an and-1 during that spurt as Grace asserted a double-digit lead it would not surrender.

Grace, who average eight made 3-pointers per contest, did not hit its first triple until the final four minutes. Brandon Vanderhegghen hit back-to-back 3's down the stretch for Grace's only treys of the evening. Neither team shot the long ball well as Taylor was 3-for-22 (14 percent) and Grace was 2-for-12 (17 percent).

For the game, Taylor shot 31 percent compared to 45 percent for Grace. The Lancers outrebounded the Trojans 43-26 and doubled up Taylor in paint scoring 36-18. Grace's offensive aggression was rewarded with 33 foul shots while Taylor managed just eight free throws.

Vanderhegghen finished with a game-high 23 points, adding 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. He shot 8-of-12 from the floor and 2-of-4 from the 3-point line.

Bowen had 13 points and five rebounds, and Caleb Featherston added nine points and six boards. Logan Irwin tallied nine points and three assists, and Tre Olive scored five points off the bench.

The Lancers will take the rest of the week off before squaring off with St. Francis on Dec. 2 in a men's/women's doubleheader at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center.