Mount Mercy University - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Mustangs fall to No. 2 William Penn

OSKALOOSA - The Mount Mercy men's basketball team got off to a  terrific start against William Penn Thursday night with a 14-point  lead in the first half, but it went downhill from there.

The Mustangs lost to the second-ranked Statesmen, 99-79, in a Heart of  America Conference game at Penn Gymnasium.

Mount Mercy faced a monumental assignment with two of its top players  - Mychael Brawner-Henley (suspended) and Bailey Basala (injury) - not  in uniform, but the Mustangs raced to a 32-18 lead with 9:48 left in  the first half despite being short-handed.

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William Penn tops Mustang women

OSKALOOSA - The Mount Mercy women's basketball team lost to 20th-ranked William Penn, 66-42, in a Heart of America Conference game  Thursday night.

Lakin Goodman led the Mustangs (5-12, 1-10) with 11 points. The  Mustangs scored only three points in the third quarter and were held  to their lowest total of the season.

Vashti Nwagbaraocha scored 18 points for William Penn (15-1, 10-1).

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Grand View tops Mustang women

The Grand View Vikings broke away from a 30-30 deadlock at halftime Monday night and defeated Mount Mercy, 76-62, in a Heart of America Conference women's basketball game at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Grand View outscored the Mustangs, 25-14, in the third quarter to take control of the ballgame.

Sharice Kawakami led Mount Mercy (5-11, 1-9) with 19 points. Audrey Mulumba finished with a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Mustangs played without Brianna Thomas, their leader scorer at  14.4 points who has been sidelined for not meeting all of her school requirements.

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Gritty Mustangs fall short in OT

Mount Mercy Coach Aaron Jennings does not deal in excuses, but it's hard to beat the 17th-ranked team in the country with two of your star players on the bench.

That was the story on Saturday, despite a terrific rally that nearly snatched victory from defeat.

The short-handed Mustangs erased a 17-point deficit in the last six minutes of the second half Saturday with a furious comeback, but they ended up falling in overtime.

Peru State prevailed, 88-80, in a dramatic Heart of America Conference game at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Mychael Brawner-Henley, who averages 13.6 points, will be sidelined for several more weeks after failing to meet school requirements. Bailey Basala, one of the top 3-point shooters in the country, twisted his ankle with 5 minutes left in the first half and did not play again after making five straight 3-pointers in less than eight minutes.

On top of that, star point guard Antwain Strong missed a key stretch in overtime after suffering a painful cramp in his leg.

"That makes a difference," said Jennings. "When three good players are not in the game, that absolutely makes a difference."

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