The Briar Cliff men's basketball team faced a tough challenge Saturday afternoon, falling 95–73 to the No.1-ranked Grace Lancers in the GPAC/Crossroads Challenge.
Grace came out strong in the opening half, putting together an efficient offensive performance to build a 52–26 advantage at the break. The Chargers struggled to find their rhythm early as the Lancers shot 72.4 percent from the field and knocked down seven three-pointers in the first half.
Briar Cliff responded coming out of halftime, showing renewed offensive energy and outscoring Grace 47–43 over the final 20 minutes. The Chargers found success from beyond the arc, shooting 50 percent from three-point range in the second half. Despite the improved offensive production and efforts to chip away at the deficit, Grace maintained its lead to secure the 95–73 victory.
Jaxson Wingert led the Chargers with 21 points, adding three rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field. Colby Collison followed with 19 points, including four three-pointers, and two assists. Mathok Mathok contributed 15 points, two rebounds, and two assists, while Ryan Kleppe added 11 points, four rebounds, and two steals. Trace Egge chipped in four points and three assists.
As a team, Briar Cliff shot 46.3 percent from the field and connected on 10 three-pointers, shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc. The Chargers also recorded 13 assists and five steals while scoring 14 points off turnovers.
With the loss, the Chargers move to 1–2 overall on the season.
The Charger return to action on Wednesday, November 4, traveling to York, NE to take on York University. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
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