Louisville, KY – The #4 seeded Grace Christian University men's basketball team started their postseason Thursday evening, taking on #5 seed and tournament host Boyce College in the 2021 Mideast Regional Tournament quarterfinal game. After the Bulldogs and Tigers competed in a very close game for the first 25 minutes of play, the Tigers put together an 8-0 run to give themselves some breathing room with a nine point lead. They would hold off the Bulldogs the rest of the way, finishing the game with an 87-73 win to propel themselves to the Regional semis.
Chandler Rivers knocked down 7-13 shots from beyond the arc and totaled 33 points – both career highs for the senior from Charlotte, NC. Kierson Watts scored 15 points and also recorded 2 blocks on the defensive end.
As a team, the Tigers outrebounded the Bulldogs 53-41, led by Kellum Bridgeforth with 10 rebounds. Spencer Grant added 13 points and 8 rebounds, while Jarius Shumpertt scored 10 and pulled down 7 rebounds.
"It's always good to get the first tournament game under your belt," said Grace Head Coach Gary Bailey. "There are always jitters and a lot of things going on outside of basketball on the first day. We have so many new players, I was anxious to see how they played when there is the pressure of the season being over after each game. I was happy with how we finished the game. Boyce is always good on their home floor and they played hard. I felt like we showed some nerves early but really dug in as the game progressed."
The Tigers advance to tonight's semifinal game against #1 seed Johnson University-TN at 8:00 pm. Tune in live, here: www.boycecollege.com/live
