Dennis McKinney popped in seven 3-pointers and scored 26 points  Saturday as Mount Mercy defeated Evangel, 85-77, in the Heart of  America Conference opener at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

McKinney went 7-for-11 from distance and also grabbed nine rebounds in  his stellar performance. Bailey Basala tossed in four 3-pointers for  the Mustangs and finished with 16 points.

RoyShawn Webb contributed 12 points, six rebounds and six assists as  Mount Mercy raised its overall record to 4-1. Streeter McIlravey  finished with 10 points. Davion Watson had eight points and seven  rebounds.

The Mustangs led by 19 points with 13:45 remaining and held on for the  eight-point victory.

Edriel Martinborough scored 25 points for Evangel (2-3, 0-1). Nate  Davis chipped in with 19 points.

EVANGEL (77): Clark Brewington 1-6 2-2 5, Pavel Antonov 1-3 0-0 2,  Cade Coffman 1-6 3-5 5, Nate Davis 7-14 2-3 19, Edriel Martinborough  11-19 3-7 25, Justice Bowers 1-2 0-0 3, Josh Pritchett 1-6 0-0 3,  Madison Davis 1-1 0-0 3, Grant Greene 0-3 0-0 0, Brandon Williams 2-4  0-0 5, Ike Egwu 3-5 1-3 7. Totals 29-69 11-20 77.

MOUNT MERCY (85): Dennis McKinney 9-15 1-2 26, Davion Watson 1-2 6-10  8, Bailey Basala 4-8 4-4 16, RoyShawn Webb 4-7 4-6 12, Davarea Loggins  0-0 0-0 0, Tyler Kelley 2-2 0-2 4, Keishun Thomas 1-8 1-2 3, Streeter  McIlravey 2-5 6-10 10, Christian Reischauer 1-4 0-0 3, DJ Johnson 0-0  3-5 3. Totals 24-51 25-41 85.

Halftime - Mount Mercy 41, Evangel 33. 3-point goals - Evangel 8-22  (Davis 3-7, Bowers 1-1, Davis 1-1, Williams 1-1, Brewington 1-3,  Pritchett 1-5, Coffman 0-1, Martinborough 0-3), Mount Mercy 12-30  (McKinney 7-11, Basala 4-7, Reischauer 1-3, McIlravey 0-3, Thomas 0-6).