Grinnell Falls Short Against Wartburg in High-Scoring Showdown

Grinnell, IA — Despite a spirited first-half performance, the Grinnell College men’s basketball team fell 123-111 to Wartburg College in a thrilling non-conference matchup on Tuesday evening at Darby Gymnasium. Wartburg’s Marshun Williams and Gabe Trujillo powered their team to victory with a dominant performance in the paint and clutch plays in the final minutes.

Grinnell took a slim 71-68 lead into halftime, buoyed by sharp shooting from Kai Te Huki, who scored a game-high 30 points, including six three-pointers. The Pioneers capitalized on their signature fast-paced offense and forced turnovers early, but they couldn’t maintain the momentum as Wartburg surged in the second half.

Marshun Williams was unstoppable for the Knights, scoring 37 points on 17-of-22 shooting and grabbing 13 rebounds to secure a double-double. Gabe Trujillo added 24 points and 9 rebounds, consistently attacking the rim and punishing Grinnell in transition.

Grinnell struggled to find consistent scoring in the second half, shooting just 27.1% from the field after hitting 48.1% in the first half. The Pioneers made 17 three-pointers but couldn’t match Wartburg’s physicality inside, as the Knights dominated the paint with 76 points compared to Grinnell’s 42.

“We played hard and had a great first half, but we couldn’t sustain it,” said Grinnell head coach David Arseneault Jr. “Credit to Wartburg—they executed well down the stretch and capitalized on our mistakes.”

Despite the loss, Grinnell showed promise with contributions from multiple players. Harris Dar chipped in 18 points off the bench, while Gabe Garcia tallied 19 points and 3 assists. The Pioneers’ bench played a significant role, contributing 71 points overall.

Wartburg improved to 3-1 on the season, while Grinnell dropped to 2-2.