BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- The Grove City College men's basketball team dropped a 57-48 decision to Albion in the opening night of action Friday evening at Geneva College's Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Metheny Field House. Grove City led 26-23 at halftime but the Wolverines hit only 6 of 24 field goal attempts in the second half.

Junior guard Joshua McCray (Jessup, Md./Ashville College, U.K.) paced Grove City (1-2) with points while senior guard Isaac Thrasher (Grove City, Pa./Grove City) and sophomore forward Sam Schudel (Stuttgart, Germany/Stuttgart) both tossed in eight points.

Junior forward Elijah White (Zelienople, Pa./Portersville Christian) led Grove City with a game-high six rebounds. Sophomore forward Jon Weir (Venetia, Pa./Quaker Valley) and freshman forward Russ Gump (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) each pulled in five rebounds as the Wolverines held a 40-35 edge on the glass.

Grove City finished the game 18 of 54 (33 percent) from the field while Albion converted 21 of 55 (38 percent) field goal attempts. Grove City went 2 for 14 from behind the three-point line while Albion made 1 of 14 three-point attempts.

Senior guard Ben Rose (Helena, Ala./Helena) distributed four assists and freshman Chase Yarberough (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) had three assists. Rose and senior center Josh Brown (Enumclaw, Wash./Enumclaw) both had three steals. The Wolverines forced 18 Albion turnovers. Grove City turned over the ball 24 times.

M.J. Barnes led the Britons with 19 points.

Grove City will face Lancaster Bible at 1 p.m. Saturday in the second day of action at the tournament.