Mount Mercy University - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Basala's clutch '3' lifts Mustangs

Mount Mercy Coach Aaron Jennings likes his team's chances when they need a clutch 3-pointer to win a ballgame in the final second.

It's called confidence.

Bailey Basala drilled a 3-pointer with 5-tenths of a second remaining Monday night to snap a 90-90 tie and give the Mustangs a dramatic 93-90 victory over St. Ambrose in a non-conference game at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Antwain Strong found Basala with a perfect pass with a few seconds left and the 6-foot-5 sophomore from Moline, Ill., let it fly with perfect rhythm and touch.

"Antwain was driving to the hoop. I knew he was going to find me," said Basala. "He always does. Always."

Mount Mercy, which leads the NAIA in 3-point shooting, made 18 against St. Ambrose, matching the second-most in school history. The Mustangs broke the school record when they made 22 against Viterbo in the season opener this year.

Jennings uses a version of the "Princeton Offense" that he learned while playing for Bill Carmody at Northwestern. It stresses ball movement, back-door cuts and open shots on the perimeter.

College basketball is faster now and more wide-open than when Jennings played at Northwestern, and he's tweaked the "Princeton Offense" so his players can let it rip.

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Mustang men trimmed by Baker

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. - The Mount Mercy men's basketball team staged a big rally Saturday afternoon, but the final five seconds slipped away in an 83-81 loss to Baker University.

The Mustangs trailed by 14 points, 58-44, with 14:26 left, but they stormed all the way back and took an 81-80 lead on a 3-pointer by Dennis McKinney with 31 seconds remaining.

Brandon Clifford scored for Baker with five seconds left to give the hosts an 82-81 advantage. Mount Mercy committed a turnover with four seconds left and fouled Baker with three seconds to go.

Baker made the first free throw for an 83-81 edge. Baker missed the second foul shot, but Mount Mercy knocked the rebound out of bounds and missed its final opportunity.

It was the second tough loss this season for the Mustangs, who fell 75-74 at St. Ambrose earlier this year.

Bailey Basala led Mount Mercy with 18 points. McKinney finished with 15 points. Emilio Villagrana scored 12 points and Mychael Brawner-Henley had 11 points. Mohammed Albagami contributed nine points and eight rebounds.

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Rally falls short for Mustangs

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. - The Mount Mercy women's basketball team trailed by 24 points early in the third quarter Saturday, but they never gave up and nearly pulled off a miracle.

The Mustangs climbed back within two points with one minute remaining before losing to Baker University, 77-72, in a Heart of America Conference game in Kansas.

Mount Mercy trailed, 64-40, in the third quarter and nearly made it all the way back. The Mustangs outscored Baker, 34-19, in the second half after trailing by 20 at intermission.

Sharice Kawakami led the Mustangs with 28 points, seven rebounds and three assists. She tossed in six 3-pointers. Brianna Thomas scored 15 points and Audrey Mulumba had 10.

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Mustangs tame 2018 NAIA champs

The Mount Mercy Mustangs will be piling on a bus at 10 o'clock Friday morning for a long ride to Kansas, but they'll climb aboard with big smiles and a ton of confidence.

The Mustangs whipped the 2018 NAIA national champions Thursday night with an 85-77 victory over Graceland in a Heart of America Conference game at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Last year, the Mustangs found a way to lose close games against quality opponents. This time, they found a way to prevail with some cold-blooded 3-pointers in the final minutes.

"It means everything," said Michael Brawner-Henley, who hit a triple with 48 seconds left for an 81-75 advantage. "This Mount Mercy team is under-rated. We come in as underdogs every season, so we just come in here and fight 24/7 in practice.

"We came in here tonight with a chip on shoulders."

Mount Mercy took a 70-59 lead with 7:25 remaining on a pair of free throws by Bailey Basala, but Graceland pulled within 72-71 with three minutes left with a 12-2 spurt.

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