Jan. 2, 2010 | Box Score
Columbia, MO-In what must be said to be a fine start to the new year, the Graceland men's squad pulled a fantastic 80-78 win from the grasp of a rallying Columbia squad tonight to leave the Cougars vs. Cancer tournament 2-0, the overall winner of the event.
The Jackets, who improve to 7-6 on the season, managed another fine performance in Columbia, Missouri after defeating William Woods University last evening. After an excellent first half performance, Graceland went into the break with a 47-38 lead and plenty of confidence in work from the floor.
Having shot 56.3% in the first half, the Jackets seemed to be destined for a convincing victory. But the home side found their inspiration in the second period, running the score within one point in a brave rally against the Graceland men. But it was not to be: the Jackets managed to outduel the Cougars in the final minutes, preserving their lead and the victory.
Jewel Carter (Kansas City, KS) led Graceland from the floor with 26 points, while Tyler Raasch (Bridgewater, IA) added 19 points, and 7 rebounds. Raasch was named All-Tournament point guard, while Carter was awarded the Most Valuable Player for the tourney.
"This was another great win," said Coach Jeff Hamilton. "This was the first time [Graceland] has ever beat Columbia, and it was another fantastic team effort" he added. "We took care of the ball tonight, and had a season low in turnovers, and we took some great strides forward defensively. I'm extremely proud of the team to have come down here and won this tournament" concluded Coach Hamilton.
Graceland will return to Lamoni and conference play on Thursday, January 7th at 7:30pm against MidAmerica Nazarene. Stay tuned to the Graceland athletic website for continuing coverage of the Graceland men's basketball squad and of all Graceland athletics.
Stay tuned to the Graceland athletic website for full recap, stats and quotes after tonight's game.
For More Information on Graceland University Athletics Contact: Matt Shelton, Sports Information Director (641) 784-5318mshelton@graceland.edu
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