KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College men's basketball team saw its historic season come to an end today (March 20) with a hard-fought 86-71 loss to No. 7 Grace (Ind.) in the Round of 16 at the 2025 NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship at Municipal Auditorium. The loss concludes SMWC's season with a 28-6 record.
Despite the defeat, the Pomeroys achieved several milestones this year, including back-to-back NAIA National Tournament appearances, their first-ever trip to Kansas City, and capturing the River States Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships. The team also claimed the NAIA First and Second Rounds Championship, marking an impressive chapter in the program's history.
In today's contest, SMWC was led by guard
Greg Johnson, who scored 16 points and grabbed three rebounds. Senior
DaMeriz Merriweather added 14 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, while fellow senior
Greg Jenkins contributed 14 points and four rebounds.
Despite a competitive first half, where the Pomeroys trailed by just three points (39-36) at halftime, Grace (Ind.) pulled away in the second half, shooting 60.9 percent from the field, including an 85.7 percent performance from the free-throw line. Grace's Ian Raasch dominated the game with 27 points and five rebounds, leading the Lancers to victory.
The first half was a back-and-forth contest with both teams exchanging the lead several times. Jenkins opened the game with a jumper to give SMWC an early 2-0 lead, but Grace quickly responded, taking a 5-2 advantage on a fast-break three-pointer by Brycen Graber.
The Pomeroys stayed within striking distance thanks to solid shooting from Jenkins and Merriweather, who added 14 points on the day. SMWC evened the score at 12 with a jumper from Jenkins at the 13:04 mark, and the teams continued to trade baskets. Grace's Ian Raasch, however, was a constant threat, scoring 27 points and contributing with timely plays.
At the 9:22 mark, Merriweather knocked down a crucial three-pointer to give the Pomeroys a 20-18 lead, their first since early in the half. However, Grace quickly regained control with Raasch, who scored on a layup to give his team the lead back at 22-21.
With under five minutes remaining in the half, SMWC stayed competitive. Jenkins made two free throws to put the Pomeroys ahead by a point, 25-24, but a late surge from Grace, led by Raasch's strong inside presence, helped the Lancers take a 39-36 lead into the locker room.
Grace opened the second half with a quick steal and layup by Ian Raasch. SMWC responded with
Caleb Iheukwu's three-pointer at 18:22, narrowing the gap to 41-39.
However, Grace quickly regained control with a series of fastbreaks and key baskets. Ian Raasch's inside game and Brett Sickafoose's free throws helped Grace extend its lead to 58-49 by the 10:52 mark.
The Pomeroys managed to stay within striking distance with
Greg Johnson's continued scoring, including a three-pointer that brought the score to 63-56 at 8:48. Despite a late surge from SMWC, which featured a dunk by
Shon Tupuola to make it 71-63 with 35 seconds remaining, Grace's lead remained secure.
While the loss ended the Pomeroys' championship run, it capped off a remarkable season for SMWC, which will go down in history as one of the best in the program's history. The Pomeroys' strong performance on the national stage provides a solid foundation for future success.
SMWC Players of Note:
