GRINNELL, Iowa – After two tough road losses, the Grinnell College men's basketball team was itching to get back to the friendly confines of Darby Gymnasium.
 
That home cooking was exactly what the Pioneers ordered, as they rallied from an early deficit to knock off Beloit College 101-81 in a key Midwest Conference game Wednesday night. The win pushed Grinnell to 7-6  in the MWC and 11-9 in all games, while the Buccaneers dipped to 6-7 in the league and 8-12 overall.
 
Things didn't look good for Grinnell initially, as the visitors shot out to a 9-0 lead. The hosts eventually rallied, going up by nine before another Beloit run made it a 48-41 Buccaneer lead at halftime.
 
But that didn't hold up, as Grinnell raced back and went ahead to stay midway through the second half while winning its seventh straight decision over Beloit.
 
The Pioneers blocked 11 shots in the game, tied for eighth-best in program history. Hannes Kogelnik '21 poured in 36 points on 13-of-23 shooting from the field as well as two assists, while Jackson Qualley '22 added 26 points and two assists.
 
Brad Geiman '21 added five rebounds and four blocks, Will Bebee '22 blocked three shots and Tommy Smith '21 had a career-best two blocks. Brady Vest '21 had a career-best three steals and Geiman grabbed five rebounds. Morgan Walser '21 added two assists.
 
After spotting Beloit the early nine-point lead, Grinnell went on a 13-4 run to go up by two points. Later, ahead by just one, Qualley made a layup and Kogelnik and Christian Brookens '22 consecutive 3-pointers to make it a 23-14 Pioneer lead.
 
Grinnell held three more nine-point leads in the half before Beloit came back. The Buccaneers pushed their cushion to 10 points early in the second half, but then it was Grinnell's turn with a 15-4 run to go ahead by one. Kogelnik had a pair of 3-pointers during the spurt, Qualley added a trey and basket and Vest and Aiden Gilbert '23 hit buckets to make it a 61-60 Grinnell lead.
 
Later the game was tied at 62-all when Kogelnik sank a jumper and 3-pointer and Gilbert another trey to push the Pioneers up by eight. They never looked back on their way to victory.
 
During the game, Kogelnik moved up to 10th on Grinnell's career 3-point leader board with 287. On the season-best chart, Bebee's 51 blocks rank sixth and Geiman's 44 are eighth.
 
Grinnell is back in action Saturday with a MWC contest at Monmouth College. Tip-off is at 1 p.m.