FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Third-seeded St. Francis proved to be too much for Grace's women's basketball team on Tuesday as the Lady Lancers lost 87-59 in the Crossroads League Tournament.

The NAIA No. 9-ranked Cougars (23-8) exceled at the start of each half and stifled the Lady Lancers (16-15) into shooting 33 percent for the game.

The loss eliminates Grace from the Crossroads League Tournament and contention for NAIA Nationals. Grace will next shift its focus to the NCCAA National Championships, hosted by Grace on March 18-21. The Lady Lancers, who already hold an automatic bid as the host, can also qualify via the Midwest Regional Tournament with a one-game playoff against Cincinnati Christian on March 13 at the MOCC.

Gabby Bryant led Grace in scoring on Tuesday with 14 points, adding four rebounds and three assists. Bryant made 6-of-12 from the floor and has now scored in double figures in four of the past five contests.

USF jumped ahead early by scoring the first nine points of the contest. Micah Pollard gave Grace its first points of the game with a basket four minutes after the tipoff, but the Cougars continued to roll and led 18-5 after seven minutes of action.

Allison Kauffman led Grace back into contention. She scored five straight points to trim the Cougars' advantage to five on a 3-pointer with 7:42 left, but that point would prove to be the closest Grace came to the lead for the remainder of the quarterfinal contest.

St. Francis responded with nine straight points to go on top 34-21. A 3-pointer from Bryant brought Grace back to within eight, but the Cougars scored four quick points in the final minute to lead 45-33 at the halftime break.

The Cougars hit a sizzling 61 percent of their shots from the floor before halftime, while Grace struggled to 33 percent. Grace did made six 3-pointers in the first half, including two apiece from Kauffman and Kelsie Peterson.

Similar to the start of the game, the Lady Lancers got off to a cold start in the second half. The Cougars scored the first nine points of the half to move ahead 54-33. USF ripped off 13 straight points between the two halves.

Grace struggled to cut into USF's lead in the second half and trailed by 20 for the majority of the period. The Lady Lancers' shooting woes continued after halftime. Grace made 32 percent of its field goals and hit just 3-of-10 from the free throw line in the second half.

Kauffman finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, and Darian Patton scored nine points in 13 minutes off the bench. Peterson tallied seven points, and Pollard added five points and four boards.