No. 21 GU Falls in Conference Clash as William Penn Narrows Heart of America Gap

LAMONI, Iowa — In a pivotal Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) Game of the Week, Graceland University (18-4, 12-2 HAAC) fell to William Penn (17-5, 11-3 HAAC), 77-73, on Tuesday night inside a packed Morden Center. The result trims Graceland's two-game lead atop the conference standings to officially one game, but William Penn now owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.

William Penn outscored Graceland 44-35 in the second half, using a late run to erase a double-digit deficit. The Statesmen were led by Chase Page, who scored a game-high 27 points, shooting 8-for-11 from the field and 8-for-9 from the free-throw line. Foday Sheriff added a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double, anchoring the frontcourt with physical play on both ends.

Graceland entered the night leading the conference standings and controlled the pace early, taking a 38-33 lead into halftime. The Yellowjackets extended that margin to as much as 11 midway through the second half before the visitors mounted a comeback.

The Yellowjackets were led offensively by Carson Busch, who finished with 22 points and four made three-pointers. Josh Sanderson contributed 12 points while Deundra Roberson added 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. Graceland forced 15 turnovers and converted them into 21 points, but the Yellowjackets shot just 31.9% from the field and were outscored in the paint, 34-22.

Despite making 11 three-pointers and committing only five turnovers, Graceland was unable to withstand the late surge from William Penn. Page scored eight of his 27 points in the final five minutes, including the go-ahead layup with 30 seconds remaining. A free throw in the final seconds gave the Statesmen a four-point margin, and a last-second three-point attempt by Graceland came up short.

William Penn controlled the glass, finishing with a 46-37 rebounding advantage, and held Graceland to just six second-half field goals inside the arc. The Statesmen also recorded 10 second-chance points, capitalizing on extended possessions during critical stretches.

The loss marks Graceland's second defeat in Heart of America play, both coming at the hands of the Statesmen. The Yellowjackets fall to 12-2 in the conference, while William Penn improves to 11-3, effectively cutting the gap in the standings to a half-game due to the head-to-head result.

UP NEXT: Graceland travels to Fulton, Missouri to face William Woods University on Saturday, Jan. 31, with tip-off scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CST at the Stoddard Recreation Center.

For more information on Graceland men's basketball and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.