Wartburg Outlasts Grinnell in 129–116 Shootout
Grinnell’s trademark fast-paced attack produced another triple-digit night on the scoreboard, but Wartburg’s size and efficiency inside were too much to overcome in a 129–116 loss Wednesday at Levick Arena in Waverly.
In a nonconference matchup of up-tempo Division III programs, Wartburg, listed at 4–1, outscored Grinnell 66–51 after halftime to erase a two-point deficit and pull away late. Grinnell, shown at 2–2 coming in, led 65–63 at the break after shooting 54.2 percent in the first half and hitting seven three-pointers before the mid-game horn.
Wartburg answered with a dominant second half, shooting 63.2 percent from the floor after intermission and finishing the night at 58.7 percent overall (44-of-75). The Knights lived at the free-throw line as well, going 39-of-56 at the stripe. Grinnell closed 41-of-94 from the field (43.6 percent), 13-of-48 from three (27.1 percent) and 21-of-34 at the line (61.8 percent).
The Knights did their biggest damage around the rim, piling up 84 points in the paint and a 63–40 edge on the glass. Both teams grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, but Wartburg turned its second chances into 27 points, compared to 20 for Grinnell.
Individually, Wartburg was led by a huge night from Ethan Yungtum, who poured in 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting and added 14 rebounds. Forward Cael Schramm gave the Knights another strong inside presence with 22 points and 10 boards. Austin Bienemann added 19 points, while Luke Ladwig chipped in 18.
Grinnell spread its scoring across a deep rotation. Gabe Garcia finished with a team-high 22 points. Kai Te Huki and Nick Lundy each added 17, with Lundy also grabbing seven rebounds. Sean Murphy scored 16, and Zach Rosen rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13 points and a team-best seven assists.
Grinnell’s bench provided a major boost, accounting for 76 of the team’s 116 points. The Pioneers also turned Wartburg’s 27 turnovers into 32 points and held a 48–35 edge in fast-break scoring, repeatedly pushing the ball after misses and miscues.
The game featured 15 ties and seven lead changes as the teams traded runs through much of the night. Grinnell’s hot shooting staked the visitors to the slim halftime lead, but Wartburg’s inside play, rebounding advantage, and steady parade to the free-throw line ultimately tilted the game in the Knights’ favor down the stretch.
