DES MOINES, IOWA - The atmosphere in Sisam Arena was electric Tuesday night as Grand View University hosted its first home playoff game in years. The BlackOut-themed crowd created an intimidating environment, and the third-seeded Vikings fed off that energy to secure a hard-fought 65-60 quarterfinal victory over sixth-seeded Missouri Valley College in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament.

The win marks Grand View's first conference tournament victory since 2018, a drought the Vikings were determined to end in front of their home fans. From the opening tip, it was clear this team had come out with a mission.

The first half was a tense back-and-forth affair that saw neither team able to pull away. Lukas Helms set the tone early, knocking down a three-pointer to give Grand View a 12-10 lead. Daviyon Gaston followed with a tough layup in the paint to extend the advantage to 14-10, and the Vikings looked poised to take control. But Missouri Valley had other ideas, responding with a quick 9-2 run that flipped the momentum. The Vikings found themselves trailing 19-14 midway through the half.

Grand View refused to fold. Jaxson Young steadied the ship with a three-pointer to tie the game at 19-19, and the Vikings began to assert themselves defensively. Joe Knutson scored inside, and James Ogrodink added a crucial layup to push Grand View ahead 24-21. The momentum had swung back in the Vikings' favor. Missouri Valley kept it close, cutting the deficit to one on multiple occasions, but Grand View always had an answer. Gaston converted a three-point play late in the half, and Young drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the Vikings into the locker room with a commanding 32-25 lead.

The second half started perfectly for Grand View. Young hit another three-pointer, assisted by Gaston, to push the lead to double digits at 35-25. The Vikings were playing with confidence, and it showed. Rodell Davis Jr. knocked down a three-pointer to extend the advantage to 41-29.

Missouri Valley mounted a furious rally, chipping away at Grand View's lead possession by possession. The visiting Vikings began attacking the paint relentlessly, and their physicality started to pay off. What had been a 12-point cushion slowly evaporated. By the time the game clock showed just over nine minutes remaining, Missouri Valley had clawed back to within four at 53-49.

Grand View needed someone to step up in the pressure-packed final minutes. Gaston delivered, making two crucial free throws to push the lead back to 56-51. Knutson added a jumper to make it 58-53, and Patrick Worrell calmly sank two free throws to extend the advantage to 60-53 with under four minutes to play. The Vikings were executing in crunch time.

Missouri Valley refused to go away. They continued to attack, cutting the deficit back to two points at 62-60 with just over a minute remaining.
With Grand View needing a basket, Helms came through when it mattered most, scoring a tough layup in the paint to push the lead back to four at 64-60. Missouri Valley's desperation three-point attempt fell short, and Helms was fouled with no time left. He calmly sank one free throw to seal the 65-60 victory, knocking the visiting Vikings out of tournament play.
The Grand View Vikings advance.

GAME NOTES:

• Jaxson Young led Grand View with 20 points on 7-12 shooting, including 3-3 from three-point range.
• Lukas Helms added 16 points with 6 rebounds in a gritty performance.
• Daviyon Gaston contributed 13 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists, hitting crucial free throws down the stretch.
• Joe Knutson chipped in 6 points with 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
• Grand View shot 40.4% from the field.
• The Vikings' first conference tournament win since 2018 came in front of a BlackOut crowd in Sisam Arena.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Grand View advances to the conference tournament semifinals. The Vikings hit the road Friday to face second-seeded William Penn, who they defeated by a single point earlier this season in an away game. Another battle with the Statesmen awaits as Grand View continues its quest for a conference championship.