WINONA LAKE, Ind. -- Grace (Ind.) College ruined the No. 1-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University women's basketball perfect mark in the Mid-Central College Conference in a game where points were hard to come by in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Indiana Wesleyan drops its first conference game of the season in a 41-39 defeat to fall to 10-1 in the MCC. IWU failed to score more than 20 points in either half.

The loss comes less than two months after Indiana Wesleyan thumped Grace 78-37 in Luckey Arena. IWU is now 21-2 on the season while Grace improves to 14-9 and 6-5 in conference play.

The Wildcats failed offensively in all aspects as the team shot a dismal 32.6-percent (14 of 43) from the field, 12.5-percent (1 of 8) from beyond the arc, and 55.6-percent (10 of 18) from the free throw line. Juniors Paige Smith and Claire Freeman were the only Wildcats in double figures with 10 points apiece to account for more than half the team's offense.

Grace did not fare much better, shooting 25.0-percent (13 of 52) from the field. But Grace took advantage with 35.0-percent (7 of 20) shooting from 3-point range and 88.9-percent (8 of 9) from the foul line. GC hit six 3's in the second half to overcome an eight point halftime deficit.

Despite the lack of offense in the contest, both teams took it to the extreme in the opening 20 minutes. Indiana Wesleyan led 19-11 at halftime before Grace outscored the top-ranked team 30-20 in the second half.

Indiana Wesleyan returns to the court at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 28 on the road at Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) University in Mount Vernon, Ohio.

 Game Highlights