Lourdes saw its Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament run come to an end on Saturday afternoon, as the second-seeded Gray Wolves fell 88-78 to third-seeded Madonna inside the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.
 
"Give Madonna credit," head coach Dennis Hopson said afterwards.  "They made the plays when they needed to."
 
The Crusaders started fast, jumping out to a 19-7 lead less than six minutes into the contest, draining five three-pointers during the span.  Trailing 25-13 with 12 minutes to play in the opening half, Lourdes scored the next 10 points as part of a 12-1 run to pull within one at the eight-minute mark.  After Madonna pushed the lead back to four, the Gray Wolves scored the next six points, taking their first lead of the day 33-31 following a basket by Little Anderson (Toledo, Ohio/Cardinal Stritch H.S.).  Lourdes would take a 37-35 lead into the locker room.
 
There were seven ties in the second half as the teams answered each other's basket before a three-point by Sterling Hopkins (Dallas, Texas/JJ Pearce H.S.) pushed the Lourdes advantage to four, 52-48.  The lead grew to as many as six, 66-60, with 9:30 to play.
 
"We didn't play smart once we got up 66-60," Hopson added.
 
The Crusaders scored the next eight points, taking the lead on a basket by Henry Speight with 7:28 remaining.  Lourdes immediately tied the game but Speight followed with a three-point play, putting the visitor in front for good with 6:31 to play.
 
Lourdes cut the deficit back to two, 77-75, at the three-minute mark on an Anderson lay-in.  Madonna scored on its next possession and after a Gray Wolf miss, Speight followed with a three-pointer off an offensive rebound before a steal and dunk by Mark Mettie pushed the lead to nine as part of a 10-0 run that put the game out of reach.
 
Anderson led Lourdes with 23 points while Joey Holifield (Toledo, Ohio/Cardinal Stritch H.S.) added 17 more.  Hopkins, Clif Snow (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown H.S.), and Jackie Harris (Toledo, Ohio/Saint Francis de Sales H.S.) each added 11 points.
 
Lourdes shot 45.3% from the floor, but just 8-of-30 (26.7%) from three-point range, and was 12-of-13 (92.3%) at the free throw line.
 
Speight led all scorers with 29 points for Madonna (23-7), making 8-of-9 from the floor and all 12 of his free throw attempts.  Mettie had 15 points and 14 rebounds while Deric Murray added 15 points off the bench.
 
The Crusaders shot 47.3% from the floor, including 9-of-22 (40.9%) from beyond the arc, and made 27 of 31 free throws (87.1%).
 
Lourdes (22-8) will have to wait until Thursday when the NAIA announces the field of 64 to see if the Gray Wolves earn an at-large bid to the NAIA National Championships.