GRINNELL, Iowa – Looking to start Midwest Conference play on a dominating note, the Grinnell College men's basketball team delivered.
 
The Pioneers shot 55.6 from 3-point land in the first half and blocked 11 shots, seventh-best in program history, to race past Cornell College 110-84 at Darby Gymnasium.
 
Grinnell stretched its winning streak to four games while improving to 4-3. The Pioneers have now won 11 MWC home games in a row and 10 consecutive against Cornell at Darby Gymnasium. The Rams dipped to 3-3 overall and 0-1 in the league.
 
The Pioneers rode a balanced scoring attack, with Patrick Simms '22 scoring 27 points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point land. He also had a career-high seven assists and four steals.
 
Will Bebee '22 blocked seven shots, the eighth-best total in Grinnell history, and posted a double-double with a career-high 12 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Jackson Qualley '22 added 19 points and three steals, Hannes Kogelnik '21 scored 14 points, Zachary Stice '21 had 13 points and three steals and Jake Benhart '22 10 points. Brad Geiman '21 grabbed eight rebounds and had two blocks to push his career total to 103, fifth-best in program history.
 
Cornell played even with Grinnell early, leading 7-6 before the Pioneers went on a nine-point run on a 3-pointer by Kogelnik and two more from Stice.
 
The Rams pulled within 17-13 midway through the first half, but then the Pioneers put the clamps on their foe. Simms made a free throw and Kogelnik and Qualley consecutive 3-pointers. That was followed by Qualley's layup, making it a 26-13 Pioneer lead.
 
Grinnell's lead would never be in single digits again as the hosts stretched the margin to 65-39 by halftime.
 
Grinnell returns to action Saturday with a MWC test at Knox College. Tip-off is at 1 p.m. in Galesburg, Ill.