FREMONT, Neb. - The Mount Mercy Mustangs lost to powerful Midland (Neb.), 76-65, in the championship game of the Draemel Classic Saturday.

Midland (10-1) is ranked No. 2 in NAIA Division II men's basketball.

Mount Mercy chopped a 15-point deficit down to just six points, 62-56, on a layup by Ben Struss with 7:32 remaining, but the Mustangs (7-3) could draw no closer the rest of the way.

Alex Houston led Mount Mercy with 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Dondre Osborne scored 13 points.

Jesse Jones paced Midland with 19 points.

MOUNT MERCY (65): Houston 5 3-7 14, Osborne 4 4-7 13, Matos 3 0-0 7, Misener 2 0-0 5, Struss 3 1-2 9, Boonstoppel 2 0-1 5, Moore 1 0-0 3, Price-Majors 0 1-2 1, Lamaak 1 2-2 4, Clark 2 0-1 4. Totals 23 11-21 65.

MIDLAND (76): Franklin 4 2-4 12, Jones 4 8-11 19, Gullie 1 0-0 2, Starkel 5 6-8 16, Bryant 4 1-1 9, Vaughn 3 0-0 7, Ridgeway 0 0-1 0, Hill 0 0-0 0, Hueser 1 2-2 5, Flynn 21 0-0 6. Totals 24 19-27 76.

Halftime - Midland 40, Mount Mercy 32. 3-point goals - Mount Mercy 8 (Struss 2, Houston 1, Osborne 1, Matos 1, Misener 1, Boonstoppel 1, Moore 1), Midland 9 (Jones 3, Franklin 2, Flynn 2, Vaughn 1, Hueser 1). Fouled out - none.