WINONA LAKE, Ind. - The season could not have started better for Grace's men's basketball team.
The No. 2-ranked Lancers flexed their muscles in a 112-50 rout of Kentucky Christian on Friday in front of a packed Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center.
Seven different players reached double figures in scoring for Grace — despite no Lancer seeing more than 21 minutes of playing time.
Grace began the game by immediately taking charge. The Lancers scored the first 15 points of the game, capped off by a thunderous dunk from Elijah Malone.
The Knights did not make their first field goal until nearly eight minutes of action had expired.
A triple from Brett Sickafoose put the Lancers on top 29-5, keeping the Knights stunned.
The Lancers used their bench fully in the first half; 10 players saw time before halftime with each player seeing at least seven minutes of action.
The Knights could do little to slow down the Lancers as Grace ran the floor to great success. Grace racked up 22 fastbreak points and scored 36 paint points overall.
Grace also attacked the hoop relentlessly, earning the Lancers 24 free throws. Grace made 21 of 24 (88 percent) from the foul line in the half.
The Lancers ended the half on a 15-0 charge over the final 4:31, racing into halftime with a 63-21 cushion.
Cade Gibbs scored 14 points in the half, and Jakob Gibbs added 10.
Grace turned the ball over three times to begin the second half but quickly cleaned up its attack. The Lancers scored nine straight fastbreak points to grab a commanding 74-28 advantage.
By the midway points of the second half, Grace's starters had headed to the bench for the rest of the game.
Grace's two healthy freshmen got significant playing time in both halves, including the final 12 minutes of the contest. Almost immediately, the duo (Gage Sefton, Ian Raasch) went on a 12-0 run by themselves, including two 3-pointers from Sefton.
The Lancers' lead erupted to 70 when Grace eclipsed the century mark; Ian Scott's layup put the Lancers on top 101-31 with just under six minutes to play.
Grace cruised the final 62-point margin of victory with a triple from Marcus Davidson ending Grace's scoring.
The Lancers shot 64 percent from the floor as a team and 50 percent on 3-pointers (6 of 12). The Lancers earned 33 free throws and made 79 percent of those tries.
Grace had 31 assists on 40 made field goals; the team racked up 66 points in the paint, 62 bench points and 45 fastbreak points.
Cade Gibbs led all scorers with 20 points on 8 of 11 shooting, adding six boards.
Raasch produced 16 points and six boards in 20 minutes, and fellow freshman had 16 points and two assists in 21 minutes.
Malone powered his way to a double-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in just 16 minutes.
Jakob Gibbs and Brett Sickafoose each scored 12 points; Sickafoose had three assists and four rebounds as well, and Gibbs had six boards and three assists.
Scott amassed 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, and Jake Wadding also stuffed the stat sheet with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.
Brycen Graber handed out eight assists with three steals, and Carter Stoltzfus tallied three assists with three steals.
The Lancers will end their season-opening classic on Saturday with a 2 p.m. matchup versus Madonna. The game is a rematch of last year's NAIA Second Round contest which Grace won 72-61.
