Pride fall at Graceland in high scoring affair

Pride fall at Graceland in high scoring affair
Box Score
January 15, 2025

LAMONI, Iowa - Staying on the road for their second-straight game away from Dubuque, the Clarke University men's basketball team was unable to get back in the win column to the tune of a 99-89 loss at Graceland on Wednesday night.

The Pride started off strong, leading by as many as eight points in the early portions of the first half behind DeMarco Clayton scoring 10 of the team's opening 21 points to see CU hold a 21-13 lead with 12:05 remaining in the first half.

From that point, the Yellowjackets would mount their comeback to outscore Clarke 11-2 to tie the game at 24-24 but GU couldn't take a hold of the lead until the final moments of the half when they finished on a mini-run of 7-2 to close out the last minute-plus to lead 44-42 at the half.

Graceland would start the second half extending their lead to seven over their first two offensive possessions, never relinquishing the lead for the entire second half including growing their lead to the game's largest at 15 points with about 10 minutes to go in the game.

Of the seven players that saw time for the Yellowjackets, six of them scored in double figures led by 27 points on 10-of-12 (83.3%) shooting from Cole Bowen as Maijhe Wiley (20), Micah Lamberth (14), Carson Busch (11), Carter Brown (10), and JY Smith (10) provide quality support scoring behind Bowen.

Clayton finished with a game-high 25 points for the Pride on 9-of-16 (56.3%) shooting from the field whiel adding five rebounds, three assists, and three steals with Maximiliano Bowman scoring 21 points and Hasmar Francois going 3-for-4 (75%) from three point range for 13 points off the bench.

Both teams shot over 51 percent from the field as Graceland took advantage of their significantly high free throw attempts in the game going 26-for-36 (72.2%) from the charity stripe while Clarke only attempted 15 free throws, making 10.

Clarke men's basketball will return to their home floor on Saturday afternoon when they host Benedictine College for a 2:00 p.m. CT scheduled tip at the Kehl Center between the Pride and Ravens.