DES MOINES, IOWA – In a highly anticipated showdown, Grand View University pulled off a stunning upset, defeating No. 6-ranked Baker University 72-70. The Vikings, full of determination and relentlessness, held their ground against the nationally ranked Wildcats in a back-and-forth nail bitter. With both teams exchanging leads in the final minutes, Grand View sealed the victory through a combination of timely free throws, clutch shots from beyond the arc, and critical defensive stops in the game's closing moments, proving their ability to rise to the occasion in one of their most significant wins of the season.

The Vikings came out of the gate firing on all cylinders, making their first four shot attempts to send an early message of determination in the big-time matchup. Jaxson Young and Jackson Green each hit jump shots off assists from center Joe Knutson, giving Grand View an early advantage. Baker responded with a layup, but Ayden Foster quickly countered with a jump shot and another layup to extend the lead. Green knocked down a three-pointer, and Foster added another tough layup through traffic. The Wildcats were whistled for an offensive foul, and the Vikings regained possession, keeping the momentum with the Vikings. With the pressure off and shots falling, Foster hit a fadeaway jump shot to give Grand View a 15-point lead over the No. 6 team in the country. But the battle was far from over. After Young hit his second jump shot of the night, Baker mounted an 11-point run fueled by their zone pressure, including their only three-pointer of the half and several fast-break layups. That run cut the Vikings' lead to just five. The teams exchanged baskets, with Connor Robertson becoming the focal point for Grand View. Robertson, the Vikings' senior shooting guard, scored the next 15 points for his team, knocking down five three-pointers in a scorching hot stretch. His shooting kept the Vikings ahead, and he also played key defense, taking a charge on a hard Wildcat drive to gain a possession. Grand View's final basket of the half came from Ofek Sirkis before Baker closed with an 8-point run, leaving the Vikings with a slim 36-35 lead at halftime. Robertson led all scorers with 15 points, while Foster and Green added 8 and 7, respectively. 

Coming out of the break, Baker was the first to strike with a quick three-pointer, but Foster answered with two free throws to tie the game. Layups from Young and Foster put the Vikings back in front, but Baker responded with another three-pointer. Green answered back with one of his own off an assist from Patrick Worrell. The teams traded leads, with Baker scoring three layups to take the advantage, only for Foster to tie things up with a jump shot off a Young assist. Despite a three-pointer from Knutson, Grand View found themselves trailing by four with just under eight minutes remaining. Free throws proved crucial in the final minutes, and Grand View outperformed the Wildcats in both percentage (73.7% to 69.2%) and attempts (19-13). Young knocked down two free throws at the 8-minute mark, and Sirkis followed with a momentum-shifting and-one layup. He added another jump shot, and although Baker managed a dunk, Grand View's composure held strong. Young sank two more free throws on the next possession, and with the pressure building, Green hit two clutch three-pointers to push the lead to seven with two minutes left. Baker fought back with four successful free throws and an unfortunate Grand View turnover, cutting the lead to just one, but Foster stepped up with two clutch free throws to extend the lead once again. A huge defensive stop and rebound by Young sent him to the free-throw line with 13.5 seconds left, where he added another point to the Vikings' lead. Baker answered with an and-one layup in the dying seconds, but Young calmly sank another free throw, giving Grand View a two-point edge with only 2 seconds left. As the crowd held its breath, Baker inbounded the ball to a Wildcat near the basket, who attempted a layup to tie the game—but thanks to the Viking defense, the shot fell short and Grand View secured the dramatic 72-70 victory, delivering one of the biggest upsets of the season and proving they can rise to any occasion!

GAME NOTES

• Ayden Foster led the Vikings with 17 points, shooting 6-for-7 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line, while grabbing 5 rebounds.
• Jackson Green finished with 16 points, shooting 57.1% (4-for-7) from three-point range, along with 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists.
• Connor Robertson was red-hot in the first half, totaling 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting from three-point range.
• Jaxson Young added 13 points and 5 assists.
• Ofek Sirkis contributed meaningful minutes, scoring 7 points on momentum shifting plays.
• The Vikings shot 46.9% (23-49) from the field, 45.5% (10-22) from beyond the arc, and 72.7% (16-22) from the free-throw line

UP NEXT 
The Vikings will return to action on their home floor on Monday, February 3rd, when they host Benedictine College at 4:00 p.m.