Box Score

WINONA LAKE, Ind. - In a night of offensive struggles, the IU Columbus basketball team was handed a decisive 104-69 defeat by Grace College, Tuesday night, at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center.

The Crimson Pride found themselves battling an uphill battle from the opening tip, as Grace quickly established offensive dominance. IU Columbus struggled to find consistent rhythm, shooting a challenging 36.1% from the field and watching Grace pull away with increasing momentum.

Owen Law led the charge with a team-high 15 points, including two of five three-pointers. Ben Sylva (14 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists) and Darius Thomas (12 points, 1 steal) added valuable minutes off the bench, contributing to the Crimson Pride's scoring effort. 

Grace's Ian Scott and Gage Sefton proved to be a particular challenge, combining for 32 points for the Lancers and leading an offensive onslaught that the IU Columbus defense couldn't contain. Rebounding proved problematic, with Grace consistently winning possession battles and creating multiple scoring opportunities.

Despite the overwhelming defeat, the performances of Sylva, Thomas, and Law offered glimpses of potential and resilience.

As the season progresses, IU Columbus will look to turn this challenging loss into a learning experience, using the determination shown by their top performers as a foundation for future improvement.

The Crimson Pride are still in search of their first win. The team returns to action after the holiday break, at home, on December 7, opening up conference play with Oakland City. Tip-off is set for 1:00 pm.