Pioneers Pull to within One Win of Clinching the Conference Title

For the second straight game, it was defense that led the Grinnell College men's basketball team to victory, as it picked up a 100-65 win over Lake Forest on Saturday afternoon. The win clinched the Pioneers a berth into the Midwest Conference Tournament as they remain one-game in front of Ripon for the league title.

The Pioneers capitalized on three Forester turnovers in the first two-and-a-half minutes of the contest to open a quick 7-0 lead. Back-to-back baskets brought Lake Forest back to within three before an 8-0 run by Grinnell extended the lead up to 11.

A 12-6 run by Lake Forest cut the deficit to five at 21-16, but Grinnell quickly responded with a run of its own to climb back in front by 13 at 30-17. The Foresters responded with a basket to cut the Pioneer lead to 11 with 8:26 left before intermission, but that would be as close as LFC would get as Grinnell lead by 23 at the break and by as many as 40 points late in the second half.

John Grotberg '09 turned in one of his better shooting performances as of late, pouring in a game-high 28 points, on 6-of-9 shooting, from long range. The sophomore also dished out three assists and picked up two steals. Doug Ticus '07 added 15 points for the Pioneers, who finished the contest with their third-best shooting percentage of the year at 52.2 percent.

David Arseneault '09 rounded out the top scorers for Grinnell, finishing with 12 points and seven assists as Keith Chamberlain '08 hauled in a game-high seven rebounds and two blocked shots.

Victor Campbell turned in a team-high 15 points, on 6-of-8 shooting, for Lake Forest as Hanley and Rees added 12 and 10 points respectively. Laird Walker hauled in six rebounds, while Hanley, Campbell, and Rees grabbed five boards each.

Lake Forest finished the contest shooting 43.1 percent, marking the lowest shooting percentage by a Grinnell opponent since MacMurray shot 38.2 percent in the second game of last season.

Grinnell improves to 15-6 overall (11-3 MWC) and will return to action when it looks to clinch the conference title on Wednesday night with a road contest at Knox. Tip-off in Galesburg, Ill., is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

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