DES MOINES, Iowa - A 14-2 run to end the first half halted momentum generated by the Ashford University (11-8, 2-3 MCC) men's basketball team on Saturday as it fell victim to No. 17 Grand View University (15-3, 4-1 MCC) on the road, 77-66, in Midwest Collegiate Conference play.

The Saints would battle to a high scoring, second-half draw at 41-all, but an 11-point halftime deficit proved to be too much for Ashford to overcome.

A balanced offensive attack from Grand View stymied the Saints, led by Corey Viet's game-high 24. Matt Banzhaf scored 18, Greg Schulz added 14 and Kevin Smith contributed 11 to lead the Vikings.

Three Ashford players would land in double-digits with 11 points apiece in guards Daniel Joiner of West Chicago, Ill., Byron Emerson of Rockford, Ill., and Matthias Burns of Chicago, Ill.

Joiner moved closer to become the school's all-time leading scorer, cutting the magic number down to 25.

"I think we were in a position to come away with this game on the road," AU Head Coach Andy Eberhart said. "We struggled in some key stretches and even though we could bounce back, it just wasn't enough in the end."

Ashford held onto a narrow lead halfway into the see-sawing first period, a 10-minute span that featured five lead changes and a pair of ties.

Back with the team after illness that caused him and two teammates to miss the game at William Penn University, junior guard Devin Ehrich of Thomson, Ill., hit a 3-pointer and a jumper in back-to-back AU possessions for a four-point Saints' edge.

Emerson would convert a layup to bring back a 23-22 lead for Ashford, but an untimely dry spell would commence right after.

The Saints went without any points, triggered by four missed shots and three turnovers, within the next six minutes, before a pair of free throws by junior Mike Relerford of Rockford, Ill., snapped the drought with 20 seconds left before the intermission.

But the Saints dug in and hung around in the second half, trimming the double-digit Grand View lead to three on several occasions as Burns connected from downtown and made a layup.

Emerson would slash the lead to two on a 3-pointer at the 7:53 mark, but Grand View made shots down the stretch and hit 10-of-12 free-throw attempts the rest of the way out.

The Saints will look to get back on track on Saturday when they host Waldorf College at 3 p.m. in Kehl Arena.