WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace College's women's basketball team used an offensive explosion on Friday night to fuel a 109-96 win over IU East.

The Lancers (2-1) had four players score in double digits including Emma Sperry who had a career high in points (32) rebounds (10) and 3-point shots made (8).

Grace's offense scored no fewer than 25 points in a quarter on their way to eclipsing the century mark in regulation for the first time since 2019.

Morganne Houk got the scoring started with a trifecta and Maddy Poynter extended Grace's lead to 5-0 with a driving layup.

By the midpoint of the frame Grace led 13-7 thanks in part to a pair of 3-point field goals from Sperry.

Four straight points from Becca Gerdt pushed the Lancers lead to double digits as Grace stayed red-hot from the field. The Lancers shot 52 percent from the floor, 50 percent from beyond the arc and 83 percent from the charity stripe in the first quarter. Sperry had 11 points at the quarter break and Grace led 31-24.

Sperry added another trifecta early in the second quarter and Grace began to parade to the free throw line. A pair of shots from the line courtesy of Poynter had Grace ahead 43-26.

Gerdt scored again and Sperry continued to stroke from deep as the Lancers burst ahead by 22 points.

IU East scored six unanswered to cut the lead down to 17 but Sperry came back with a 5-0 run over including her sixth and final 3-point shot of the half to send the Lancers into the intermission with a 56-34 lead.

Grace was shooting 43 percent in the first half while IU East shot 36 percent. Sperry had 24 points and five rebounds at the half.

Sperry continued to hit from beyond the arc early in the second half as the Lancers widened their margin. A pair of free throws from Braylin Terrell and a layup from Bekah Longenbaugh had the Lancers ahead 68-41.

Grace's lead reached its largest of the game when Sperry hit what proved to be her last trifecta of the game which put the Lancers ahead 81-50 with 4:02 left in the third quarter.

The Red Wolves finished the quarter on a ferocious run throughout scoring Grace 19-2 to pull within 14 points entering the final frame.

IU East continued to scratch their way back into the contest and with six minutes left in the game had cut the deficit down to single digits.

The Lancers again found success at the free throw line, as Gerdt and Poynter scored five straight at the charity stripe.

Grace and IU East exchanged 3-point baskets as the game entered the final two minutes with Grace clinging to a seven point lead.

In a game that was dominated by offense it was the Lancers defense that proved crucial, forcing two timely turnovers that allowed the Lancers to establish a double digit lead and secure the 109-96 victory.

"Super excited for the team to get this win in front of a great crowd tonight," commented Grace head coach Dan Davis. "Proud of how we played the first two and a half quarters and of how we responded when they made their run."

The Lancers forced 25 turnovers in the game which led to 31 points. Grace also scored 55 fast-break points. Sperry's eight 3-point field goals was just one off the program record. Poynter scored 20 points and Gerdt added 18 of her own.

The Lancers will be back in action on Saturday as the take on Lawrence Tech.