The members of the Mount Mercy men's and women's basketball teams were summoned to a surprise meeting last October and told their world was being turned upside down.

The men's coach was now the athletic director. The women's coach was now the men's coach. And the women's assistant coach was now the women's head coach on an interim basis.

This was just a few days before the start of the season.

There were a few bumps during the year as everyone absorbed the changes and adapted to new leadership, but both clubs have enjoyed successful campaigns and have a legitimate shot of reaching the NAIA basketball tournament.

The next step is the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) tournaments that will be held at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Cedar Rapids this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The 17th-ranked Mount Mercy men's team (22-7) is the No. 1 seed in their bracket. The Mount Mercy women (16-13) are the No. 4 seed, but they've played their best basketball during the second half of the year.

There are eight teams in both tournaments. The top three teams advance to the national meet.

The quarterfinals will be held Friday, the semifinals Saturday and the finals on Sunday.

"I think we have a team that's built for this time of year, because of our depth and the ability to go to multiple people," said Aaron Jennings, who took over the men's team this season from Paul Gavin. "Hopefully we're playing three games back-to-back-to-back and then getting ready for the national tournament."

The tournament begins Friday morning at 8:30 with a women's game between Northern New Mexico and Haskell. That's the first of eight games Friday with wall-to-wall basketball that could last until midnight.

The Mount Mercy women play Friday at 5:45 p.m. against Clarke University. The Mount Mercy men play at 7:30 p.m. against Johnson & Wales (Colo.) in a convenient doubleheader for the Mustangs.

"I think we're in a good place right now," said Bob Kintzel, who is leading the women's program this season and hopes to get the job on a permanent basis. "We're playing some of our best basketball. And we're healthy. We'll see what happens."

The women's championship game is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Sunday. The men's championship game is slated for 6 p.m. on Sunday. There are also consolation games for third place on Sunday, and those are critical because the third-place teams will advance to nationals.

Mount Mercy is delighted to be hosting the AAI tournaments as a showcase for their school, their programs and NAIA basketball.

"I'm excited," said Mount Mercy star Abby Herb, who prepped at Cedar Rapids Washington. "I'm really happy it's here, because this is home to me. I'm excited because I get to share this experience with my hometown. And I want to get it all."

Both Mount Mercy teams feature balanced attacks and know how to put the ball in the basket. The men's team is averaging 88.9 points and features Alex Houston (14.3 points), Tre Wagner (12.7), CJ Parker (11.9), Ben Struss (10.0), Chris Ford (9.0), Kyle Lamaak (8.7), Mychaeal Brawner (7.9), Sheawn Bedford (5.8) and Derik Gogg (5.5).

The Mount Mercy women are averaging 67.7 points and feature Herb (14.4 points), Makenzie Zeitler (11.2), Ashley Dolan (10.8), Alisa Weiland (9.9) and Latasha Harmon (7.2). Zeitler is also averaging 11.3 rebounds.

Men's basketball at the NAIA level is usually fast-paced and high-scoring.

"They'll see great basketball," said Jennings, who played in the Big Ten at Northwestern. "They'll see guys that can play both ends of the court. They'll see exciting basketball."

The Mount Mercy men reached the second round of the NAIA national tournament last year. The Mustangs have never played in back-to-back national tournaments, but they have a good chance now.

"I think we should do well," said Lamaak, a Kennedy product. "We have a confident group of guys, just like last year."

The Mount Mercy women are confident as well.

"I think we can do it," said Herb. "If we can play as a team and play how I know we can, we have a great team. If we can come together we'll have no problem going to nationals."

Friday's schedule is divided into two sessions beginning at 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE
Session I

8:30 a.m. - WOMEN: No. 6 Northern New Mexico vs No. 3 Haskell (Kan.)
10:15 a.m. - WOMEN: No. 8 Washington Adventist (Md.) vs. No. 1 Ozarks (Mo.)
Noon - MEN: No. 7 Washington Adventist (Md.) vs. No. 2 Rochester (Mich.)
1:45 p.m. - MEN: No. 6 Northern New Mexico vs No. 3 York (Neb.)

Session II

4 p.m. - WOMEN: No. 7 Johnson & Wales (Colo.) vs No. 2 Indiana Northwest
5:45 p.m. - WOMEN: No. 5 Clarke (Iowa) vs No. 4 Mount Mercy
7:30 p.m. - MEN: No. 8 Johnson & Wales (Colo.) vs. No. 1 Mount Mercy
9:15 p.m. - MEN: No. 5 Central Christian (Kan.) vs. No. 4 Ozarks (Mo.)