CLINTON, Iowa - Unfortunately, for the Ashford University men's basketball team, the third time wasn't the charm.
Keyed by a 12-0 run midway through the first half, No. 1 seed Grand View University gradually pulled away from the Saints in Midwest Collegiate Conference semifinal action on Friday, 81-63.
The Vikings
finished the year 3-0 against the Saints and Ashford's season came to an end at
20-12 overall after toppling fifth-seeded
Grand View (24-7 overall) advanced in the bracket and will face No. 6 seed William Penn University in Sunday's final. The Statesmen eliminated second-seeded Viterbo University on the V-Hawks home floor in the other semifinal clash.
"We're disappointed with the loss against a very talented Grand View team," AU Head Coach Andy Eberhart said. "We were able to generate some momentum early on and created some good looks, but we eventually wore down and the shots didn't fall."
All five Grand View starters scored in double-digits, led by bullish forwards Corey Viet and Kevin Smith, who scored 16 points apiece. GV shot over 55 percent from the field and buried eight 3-point field goals.
Senior guard Daniel Joiner of West Chicago, Ill., led the Saints with 12 points in his final collegiate game. Also wrapping up their careers in the black road uniforms were fellow seniors Byron Emerson (seven points) of Rockford, Ill., and Brandon Cole (four points) of Milwaukee, Wis.
Sophomore guard Rashad Carrington of Milwaukee, Wis., added 10 and sophomore forward Matthias Burns of Chicago and Peter Tanzillo of Kewanee, Ill., each had nine.
After five lead changes, the Saints led by five with the score at 19-14 after separate possessions following layups by sophomore Klynton Bollinger of Astoria, Ill.
But the Vikings' offense, directed by NAIA assist leader Grant Burns, began to take flight. He finished with a double-double (15 points, 12 assists),
Smith had a pair of alley-oop dunks off set plays and had a tip-in in the middle of Grand View's 12-0 run that put the Vikings up by 11. The Vikings then carried that edge to the break, where they led 40-30.
The Saints missed an opportunity to regain momentum after halftime, getting buried by another 9-0 run that had them staring at a 19-point deficit.
Joiner hit a pair of free throws that had AU down by 16 with 16:16 remaining, but that's as close as the Vikings' defense would allow.
"It turned out to be a great season and it's an honor to be coaching these players," Eberhart said. "I'm proud of the way we played this year."
