Mitch McLaughlin’s 3 pointer with six seconds left in the first half gave Xavier its first lead of the game and the Saints held it for the rest of the game, beating Prairie 60-54 Friday night in a Mississippi Valley Conference battle at Xavier.

McLaughlin kept the Saints (2-9, 2-5 MVC) in the game during the first half with 16 of his team’s 25 points.  He finished with five 3-pointers and 23 points. Kevin Hosch added 12 points. 

“Mitch has  put in a lot of work and it paid off,” Xavier Coach Matt Jenkins said.  “That was his best game this season and it may have been the best of his career.”

“It feels good to have a game like that in a good conference like this.  I scored because my teammates just kept finding me open,” McLaughlin said.  “Point guard is kind of hard sometimes, so when you get shots you got to take them.”

Jacob Aune led the Hawks (3-8, 2-5) with 14 points.  Matt Jantzen tallied 12.

“We got a little too complacent and didn’t stay aggressive offensively or defensively," Prairie Coach James Moses said. "But give Xavier credit, they did what they had to do to win.

“We are learning what it takes to win, but we need to find consistency,” added Moses.

Xavier takes on Jefferson at home next Friday and Prairie hosts Iowa City West.

PRAIRIE (54): Frazier 4 0-0 8, Jantzen 5 0-0 12, Lafferty 1 2-4 4, MacDougall 1 1-2 3, Boots 3 0-0 7, Eilers 1 1-1 3, Aune 5 4-4 14, Hilgenkamp 0 0-0 0, Kehoe 1 0-0 3, Bradford 0 0-0 0.  Totals 21 8-11 54.

XAVIER (60): McLaughlin 9 0-2 23, McDermott 0 4-4 4, Hosch 4 4-7 12, Clasen 1 1-2 3, Mattke 2 3-4 8, Valentine 1 1-1 3, Ropp 1 0-0 3, Mains 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 13-20 60.

3-point goals -- Prairie 4 (Jantzen 2, Boots, Kehoe), Xavier 7 (McLaughlin 5, Mattke, Ropp).