Pride start Heart schedule with 79-62 loss to Graceland

DUBUQUE, Iowa - In a return to their home floor for the first game in Heart of America Athletic Conference play of 2024-25, the Clarke University men's basketball team dropped a 79-62 final to Graceland University in the Kehl Center on Wednesday night.

The game within the game became a bit of a tale of two halves as a 37-35 lead for the Yellowjackets was cut from a nine-point advantage to the two-point margin largely in part to a 11-4 run over the final 3:45 of the first quarter for CU.

Graceland would grow their lead no larger than five over the early stage of the second half before the Pride would even take a lead at 47-46 behind a Maximiliano Bowman three pointer before trading three pointers between GU's Saddiq Canty and Clarke's Bryce Luster would make it 50-49 CU.

After taking a 52-51 lead on a Daquon Lewis layup with just under 12 minutes to go, Clarke would go on to be outscored 28-10 over the rest of the game, emphasized by back-to-back breakaway dunks from Canty to close out their conference-opening road win.

Canty, who came into the game the reigning Heart Offensive Player of the Week, looked every bit of that honor, leading the game in scoring with 30 points on 13-of-23 (56.5%) shooting from the field as he was supported by a pair of 14-point performances from Darrius Davis and Carter Brown while Carson Busch added 10 points off the bench.

Bowman led the Pride with 22 points but shot 7-for-20 (35%) from the field while adding seven rebounds, three assists, and steal, and a blocked shot in 34 minutes as the only other Clarke player in double figures was Lewis, who celebrated his 23rd birthday with 15 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three steals, and a blocked shot on the night.

Clarke men's basketball will remain at home for the next Heart game when they host Baker University for a 2:00 p.m. CT tip in the Kehl Center between the Pride and Wildcats.