SYLVANIA, Ohio (LourdesAthletics.com) -- The Lourdes University men's basketball team bounced back from a tough road loss with a convincing 79-68 win over Defiance College on Saturday afternoon at the Russell J. Ebeid Center. With the victory, the Gray Wolves improve to 17-6 overall and 11-4 in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC).

Lourdes wasted no time, scoring the first points of the game and never relinquishing the lead. The Gray Wolves built a commanding 17-point advantage midway through the first half. Despite a strong push from Defiance, who trimmed the lead to just six points at halftime, Lourdes maintained control throughout the second half. The Gray Wolves outscored the Yellow Jackets 43-38 in the final 20 minutes to seal the win.

Lourdes shot a stellar 53.7% from the field (29-of-54), though they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 18.2% (2-of-11) of their three-pointers. The Gray Wolves were efficient at the free-throw line, converting 73.1% (19-of-26) of their attempts.

Defensively, Lourdes was relentless, never allowing Defiance to take the lead and consistently regaining momentum. Shaunn Monroe led the charge with three steals, contributing to the team's seven total steals. Ross Thompson and Derrell Jones also made key defensive plays, with Thompson recording a block and Jones adding a pair of crucial stops.

Prakash Ketterhagen made an early impact, scoring 10 first-half points to lead all scorers at the break. However, it was Monroe who spearheaded the second-half charge, bouncing back from a season-low performance in the previous game. Monroe finished with a game-high 23 points, going 7-of-16 from the field and 9-of-9 from the free-throw line.

Lourdes dominated in the paint, outscoring Defiance 40-22 in that area. However, the Yellow Jackets had the upper hand from three-point range, hitting eight shots from beyond the arc compared to just two for the Gray Wolves.

Up Next:
The Gray Wolves will be back in action on Wednesday, February 5th, when they host the Warriors of Rochester Christian at home.

Story Written by Nevan Anderer.