GRINNELL, Iowa – Playing in front of an enthusiastic Senior Day crowd, the Grinnell College men's basketball team delivered.
 
The Pioneers tied the school record for wins in a season with 19 as they rallied past a hot-shooting Lake Forest College team 125-119 at Darby Gymnasium Saturday.
 
Senior Vinny Curta '19, one of the top players in Grinnell men's basketball history, didn't disappoint. Curta established a new NCAA Division III record for free throw attempts in a career with 18 shots Saturday, giving him 942. That broke the previous mark of 928 by Matt Hancock of Colby College from 1987-90.
 
Curta was sharp from the line, hitting 16 of his 18 shots to finish with 39 points. The made free throws total is eighth-best in school history. He completed the double-double with 10 assists to go along with two steals.
 
Jackson Qualley '22 scored 24 points and had two steals, while Ky-Sean Johnson '19 drained six treys for 18 points. Will Bebee '22 had a career-high 12 points, Hannes Kogelnik '21 added eight rebounds, Anthony Gulve'20 registered two steals and Brad Geiman '21 blocked two shots.
 
Grinnell improved to 19-5 overall and 15-3 in the Midwest Conference, the Pioneers' second-highest league win total in program history. The win caps a perfect home record for Grinnell, the first time the Pioneers have done that since the 2011-12 season.

Lake Forest, which made 18-of-31 3-pointers including an 11-of-14 performance by Sam Husting, is now 12-6 in the MWC and 16-9 overall.
 
Lake Forest led most of the first half before Grinnell rallied, taking a few four-point leads late before going into the locker room with a 63-62 cushion. The Foresters began the second half quickly, going up by nine with 12:05 left when Curta made a layup and Tyler Grumhaus '21 and Derek Jones '21 consecutive 3-pointers to make it 87-86.
 
The Foresters didn't go away, though. They still led until the 4:36 mark when two free throws by Curta tied it at 106. The teams traded leads a few times before Lake Forest, leading by a point, saw Grinnell go up for good on Curta's trey with 1:49 left to make it 119-117.
 
The Foresters then missed two shots before Brad Geiman '21 delivered a thundering dunk to push Grinnell up by four. He was fouled on the play and made the free throw, pushing Grinnell ahead 122-117.
 
After Lake Forest scored, Qualley was fouled and made a free throw. Curta finished things off with two free throws.
 
During the game, Curta moved up to third on Grinnell's career assists list with 466 and Kogelnik moved up to 20th for 3-point attempts with 564. Curta also registered his 146th assist this season, good for seventh all-time.
 
The Pioneers had movement on seven categories in the season-best team list. This season's squad is now fifth in points (2,841), field goals made (940) and assists (517), sixth in field goals attempted (2,172), 3-pointers made (496) and rebounds (1,072) and eighth in 3-pointers attempted (1,380).
 
Grinnell and Lake Forest will be right back at it on Friday in the opening round of the MWC Tournament at De Pere, Wis. Action begins at 5 p.m.