FAYETTE, Mo. - The Mount Mercy women's basketball team is having a rough time this season, but the Mustangs raced to a 38-25 halftime  advantage over the No. 23 team in the nation Monday night on the road.

Unfortunately for the Mustangs, the second half was a completely different story.

Central Methodist pounded Mount Mercy by 24 points in the second half  and posted a 72-61 victory in a Heart of America Conference game.

The Mustangs, playing without point guard Sharice Kawakami, outscored Central Methodist 25-9 in the second quarter on their way to their 13-point advantage at intermission.

Central Methodist (12-6, 8-4) got things rolling in the second half  and outscored Mount Mercy 24-13 in the third quarter and 23-10 in the final stanza.

Audrey Mulumba led Mount Mercy (5-13, 1-11) with 16 points and four 3-pointers. Chelsey Lampe had 11 points and Aaliyah Brown added 10. The Mustangs committed 32 turnovers in the 40-minute ballgame.

Mercedes Jefflo poured in 28 points for Central Methodist.

MOUNT MERCY (61): Mulumba 5 2-4 16, Lampe 3 2-2 11, Moffett 1 4-4 6,  Goodman 1 0-0 3, Sheck 0 0-0 0, Brown 4 2-2 10, Blowers 3 0-0 8,  LeGrand 2 2-4 7. Totals 19 12-16 61.

CENTRAL METHODIST (72): Jefflo 10 4-6 28, Jones 3 5-6 11, Victorine 3  0-0 9, Mitchell 2 1-2 5, Allen 0 2-2 2, Stanciel 4 2-3 13, Kimbrough 2  0-0 4, Jones 0 0-0 0, Shields 0 0-0 0, Grant 0 0-0 0, Engemann 0 0-0  0. Totals 24 14-19 72.

Halftime - Mount Mercy 38, Central Methodist 25. 3-point goals - Mount  Mercy 11 (Mulumba 4, Lampe 3, Blowers 2, Goodman 1, LeGrand 1),  Central Methodist 10 (Jefflo 4, Victorine 3, Stanciel 3).