With St. Norbert holding a tenuous 114-113 lead with 4.8 seconds left, Brandon Hansen secured his own rebound off a missed free throw, and the Green Knights were able to hang on for a pulsating win over the visiting Pioneers.
St. Norbert held Grinnell, which was averaging 132 points per game heading into the contest, scoreless for the last 6:19 of the game. St. Norbert trailed 113-103 at that juncture, but Eric DeJardine's baseline jumper with 20 seconds to go proved the difference. On Grinnell's ensuing possession, the Pioneers' Cole Robertson was whistled for traveling under the basket with 5.8 seconds to go.
Hansen missed the charity shot off the back iron and grabbed his own rebound, and after a couple of passes, time expired.
After 12 first-half ties, the game was tightly contested throughout. St. Norbert took a 97-96 lead with 10:14 to go, but Grinnell knocked down three 3-pointers on three straight possessions for a 105-97 lead. Grinnell led by 10 twice, at 111-101 and 113-103, before St. Norbert started its rally. Grinnell played about the last four minutes of the game in a conventional style, working the shot clock down each possession but could not score.
Hansen hit a jumper, followed by a Josh Peterson layup, and another Hansen score to pull within 113-109 with 2:03 to go. DeJardine canned a 3-pointer with 1:15 left to pull the Green Knights within 113-112 with 1:15 to go and set up the game's final dramatic moments.
St. Norbert senior guard Drew Demerath did yeoman's work on Grinnell senior guard Steve Wood. Wood, who was averging 31 points per game, was held to just 12 points on 4 of 17 shooting before fouling out. Wood also made just 4 of 7 free throws.
The Green Knights had seven players in double figures, led by Aaron Faulkner's 20 points. Faulkner also had a game-high 11 rebounds. DeJardine canned 18 points, while Hansen netted 17 counters. Grinnell was led by Nick Malinowski's 19 points.
St. Norbert, which was outrebounded 34-18 in the second half and 50-40 for the game, committed only 18 turnovers against Grinnell's press.