Graceland Stays Hot, Blows Past Haskell 98–62 for Fifth Straight Win
LAMONI, Iowa — November 22, 2025 — The Graceland University Yellowjackets men's basketball team (7-2, 2-0 Heart of America Athletic Conference) recorded their fifth consecutive victory, dispatching Haskell University (3-9, 0-0) by a decisive 98–62 margin at home Saturday afternoon inside the Morden Center.
The win keeps Graceland undefeated in Heart of America conference play and pushes their average win margin during the current streak to 24.2 points per game, underlining the team's recent dominance on both ends of the court.
Graceland's offense was locked in from the tip, recording a 54.2% field goal percentage, including 15-of-32 (46.9%) from beyond the arc, marking one of the team's best shooting performances of the season. Eleven different Yellowjackets scored in the contest, and the bench unit alone contributed 50 total points, showcasing depth and balance across the roster.
"We have a lot of really good shooters who just haven't made as many to this point," said head coach Todd Lorensen. "It was good to see us shoot the ball with confidence from behind the arc... but unfortunately we didn't take very good care of the ball in the first half, which has been a strength of ours early here in the season. Overall, it was one of our better offensive performances."
Sophomore guard Josh Sanderson led the perimeter attack, knocking down six of seven three-point attempts for 18 points in just 18 minutes off the bench. "He's a great shooter," Lorensen added. "No one on our team was surprised, and we know we'll see more of this moving forward."
Senior forward Cole Bowen continued his strong two-way play, finishing with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out an assist. Bowen's ability to stretch the floor and finish at the rim was a driving force behind Graceland's early surge, including a 17–3 run midway through the first half that established a lead the Yellowjackets would never relinquish.
Graceland controlled the boards throughout, out-rebounding Haskell 42–21, including 13 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points. Tyson Shaw added 11 points and six assists while going 7-of-8 at the line, helping Graceland maintain its offensive rhythm during bench rotations.
Lorensen praised his team's defensive discipline: "Defensively, we did a nice job of making things challenging on their perimeter players and finishing possessions with defensive rebounds." Haskell shot just 23.1% from three-point range (6-of-26) and failed to generate fast break points against Graceland's transition defense.
Despite committing 16 turnovers — 10 in the first half — the Yellowjackets compensated with a season-high 24 assists, including five from Deundra Roberson and six from Shaw. The team's plus-21 rebound margin and effective floor spacing were crucial in creating open looks and keeping Haskell on their heels.
The Yellowjackets led 49–32 at halftime, thanks to a blistering 60.0% shooting performance and seven made threes in the opening period. The offense remained efficient after the break, with 49 more second-half points, including another eight three-pointers and 14 assists.
Graceland's defense held Haskell to 37.9% shooting overall, with only one opposing player, Jesse White, breaking the 20-point threshold (22 pts). The Yellowjackets held Haskell's starters to a combined 9-of-28 shooting beyond White's output.
"It's a great sign for our balance," Lorensen emphasized. "To score 98 points and have it spread out like it was, shows our offensive depth and unselfishness."
Graceland now looks ahead to its next challenge in conference play.
The Yellowjackets return to action on Tuesday, November 25, when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa to face Grand View University in a Heart of America conference matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CST at Charles S. Johnson Fieldhouse.
For more information on Graceland men's basketball and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com