INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Grace College's women's basketball team fell to 17th ranked Marian 78-43 on Saturday afternoon to conclude the two-game season series against the Knights.
The Lancers (9-11, 2-8 Crossroads League) struggled on the offensive end of the floor, scoring single-digit points in each of the first two quarters.
Sophia Morrison had a trifecta to start the first quarter, but Grace managed just two more points on a pair of free throws over the final 9:07 of the frame. Grace trailed 19-5 after the first stanza.
Maddy Poynter and
Peyton Murphy evenly split the Lancers' eight points in the second quarter as the Knights (15-5, 8-2 CL) extended their lead to 38-13 by the halftime intermission.
The Lancers shot 26 percent in the first half and committed 18 turnovers while the Knights hit at a 42 percent rate and committed just five turnovers.
In the third quarter the Lancers did a better job of ball control turning the ball over just three times.
Kensie Ryman hit from beyond the arc on the first possession of the second half and Poynter added a pair from the charity stripe.
Bekah Marshall scored a trio of points and assisted on a jump shot from Murphy. Murphy made the most of a trip to the free throw line late in the frame to push their total to 25.
The Lancers had their most consistent showing in the fourth quarter as they poured in 18 points and shot 44 percent from the floor.
Poynter led the way in the final frame with eight points and Marshall added four of her own.
"Obviously we had a disappointing start," said Grace head coach
Dan Davis. "Felt like we came out timid in the first half and played on our heels which showed with our unforced turnovers and our lack of urgency on the defensive boards. You can't spot a talented team like Marian 30 points a half off of turnovers and second chance points. They were the aggressors and we weren't."
Grace finished the game shooting 33 percent from the floor and 17 percent from beyond the arc. The Lancers committed 23 turnovers which the Knights took advantage of to the tune of 30 points. Grace was outscored 36-26 in the paint and nine second chance points to Marian's 16.
"Credit to our ladies and the way they played in the second half, we need to start games like that" Davis continued. "We will keep working at it and do whatever it takes game to game. This is the time we will find out who has that competitive mentality and fight in them, regardless of the outcome."
The Lancers will return to action on Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m. showdown at home against No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan.
