Men's Basketball Overwhelms Faith Baptist Bible 109–61 in Second Home Win

LAMONI, Iowa — The Graceland men's basketball team secured its second straight home victory to open the young season with a dominant 109–61 win over Faith Baptist Bible College Monday night inside Morden Center. The Yellowjackets improved to 2-1 overall (0-0 Heart of America), while the visiting Eagles dropped to 1-1 (0-0 MCCC).

Graceland's starting lineup — featuring Deundra Roberson (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.), Carson Busch (Grad., Lincoln, Neb.), Micah Lamberth (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.), Cole Bowen (RS Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.), and Runey Hernandez (Sr., Independence, Mo.) — set the tone early with sharp execution and relentless energy on both ends. The Yellowjackets opened the contest with a 12–3 run and never trailed.

Graceland finished with six players in double figures, led by Bowen's 25-point, 11-rebound double-double. Busch and Hernandez added 14 points each, while Roberson chipped in 12 points and 6 rebounds. Kaamil Domingo (Jr., Charlotte, N.C.) and Josh Sanderson (RS So., Bondurant, Iowa) contributed 11 points apiece off the bench. The Yellowjackets logged 28 assists on 42 made field goals, a 67% assist rate that reflected crisp team-oriented offense.

"Tonight was definitely a step in the right direction," said head coach Todd Lorenson. "This early in the season there's plenty we still need to clean up and improve on. The next three days will be important for a huge weekend against two quality KCAC opponents."

"We assisted on 67% of our baskets which is a great sign. Also, having six players in double figures shows we can have lots of balance."

Graceland shot 55.3% from the field (42-of-76) and knocked down 12 three-pointers. Busch was particularly efficient, going 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. On the defensive end, the Yellowjackets held the Eagles to just 35.5% shooting and dominated the glass with a 52–18 rebounding advantage, including 18 offensive boards.

Faith Baptist Bible started Mason Gorsh, Asa LaFleur, Logan Fincham, Landon Brahs, and Quensy Ferguson, but struggled to find offensive rhythm. Gorsh and freshman guard Jackson Lockard led the Eagles with 12 points each, while Brahs added 10. The team managed only 6-of-13 (46.2%) from the line and turned the ball over 15 times.

Graceland's rotation saw effective contributions throughout. Micah Lamberth totaled 7 points and 7 rebounds, while Tyson Shaw (Jr., New Castle, Del.) added 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in 15 minutes. DeWayne Givens (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) dished out 2 assists and collected 2 steals, while Max Black (Grad., Independence, Mo.) hauled in 7 boards.

At the half, the Yellowjackets led 51–27, shooting 55.6%, with Bowen tallying 13 first-half points. Graceland extended the lead steadily in the second half, scoring 58 more points while holding Faith to just 34 over the final 20 minutes. A layup by Bowen at the 8:08 mark gave Graceland its largest lead at 51 points, a margin it held through the closing minutes.

Graceland's bench outscored Faith's reserves 37–28, helping to maintain momentum during frequent substitutions. The team also recorded 16 second-chance points and 22 points off turnovers.

Graceland will look to carry this momentum into its next matchup as part of the KCAC/Heart Challenge.

The Yellowjackets return to action on Friday, Nov. 7 at 5:00 p.m. CST, hosting Avila University (Mo.) at Morden Center in Lamoni, Iowa.

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