Metro Sports Report

Big second half sinks Saints

Cedar Rapids Xavier gave top-ranked Iowa City West a scare, but a big third quarter propelled the Trojans to a 76-56 win Tuesday night at Xavier.

West led just 32-30 at halftime before pulling away in the second half. David DiLeo scored 11 of his 16 points in the third quarter. He had four 3-point baskets. Sophomore Connor McCaffery led the Trojans with 18 points. Sophomore point guard Devontae Lane also finished with 16 points.

Mitchell Burger scored 16 of his 22 points in the first half for Xavier (8-8, 4-7 MVC). Adam McDermott finished with 17 for the Saints.

Marion girls roll past Indee

Freshmen Chloe Rice and Mia Laube scored 12 points apiece as Marion had little trouble downing Independence, 61-30, on Tuesday night in Marion.

Amanda Sahm had 11 and Michalyn Mohr finished with 10 for the Indians (15-4, 10-2 Wamac West).

Megan Kinseth led Independence (6-13, 3-9) with 8 points.

Mount Mercy waiting, hoping for good news

Mount Mercy University has answered their questions, supplied the necessary documents and made the strongest case it can for membership in the Heart of America Conference or the North Star Conference.

Now it's up to those leagues to extend an invitation and give the Mustangs a new home.

"Right now it's up to them. And then obviously - hopefully - we would have a choice to make if both were to accept us," Mount Mercy athletic director Scot Reisinger said Monday. "Then we would have to make some decisions."

The Midwest Collegiate Conference will disband after the 2014-15 school year, with the seven current members heading their separate ways (or in some cases, together). Grand View and William Penn already have been accepted into the Heart of America. St. Ambrose will be joining the Chicagoland Conference. The AIB College of Business apparently will be swallowed up by the University of Iowa.

Mount Mercy, Clarke and Viterbo need a place to land. Clarke has applied to the Heart of America - just like Mount Mercy - and is hoping they'll join that league for the 2015-16 school year.

5 Metro girls teams get byes

Xavier, Marion, Kennedy, Linn-Mar and Washington have received opening-round byes for the regional girls basketball tournament that begins in two weeks.

The ninth-ranked Xavier Saints and 13th-ranked Marion Indians received their byes in Class 4A as a reward for their work this season. The eighth-ranked Kennedy Cougars, Linn-Mar Lions and Washington Warriors got their byes in Class 5A.

Jefferson and Prairie did not receive byes and will face each other in the opening round of the Class 5A Region 5 tournament at Jefferson. The winner will face third-ranked Southeast Polk in the semifinals.

The opening round of the Class 4A and 5A regional tournaments will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21 with the finals on Tuesday, Feb. 24.

The regional champions advance to the state tournament in Des Moines during the first week of March.

Xavier will host Mount Pleasant or Clear Creek-Amana in the Class 4A regional semifinals. Marion will host West Delaware or Decorah in the semifinals.