Metro Sports Report

Mustang men falter at Benedictine

ATCHISON, Kan. - The Mount Mercy men's basketball team surrendered 63  points in the second half Saturday and lost to Benedictine, 101-65, in  a Heart of America Conference game at the Ralph Nolan Gymnasium.

The setback dropped the Mustangs to 12-12 overall and 7-11 in the  league. Benedictine raised its marks to 14-11 overall and 12-6 in the  conference with an incredible shooting performance at home.

Dennis McKinney led Mount Mercy with 15 points. Bailey Basala added 11 points.

Jayden Temme scored 26 points for Benedictine, leading five players  into double figures. The winners scorched the nets, hitting 38 of 54  shots for 70.4 percent. They were 23 of 27 in the second half and 18  for 27 on 3-pointers in the game.

Mount Mercy women fall in Kansas

ATCHISON, Kan. - The Mount Mercy women's basketball team lost to  Benedictine, 63-48, in a Heart of America Conference game Saturday in  Kansas.

Chailey Cabalis scored 16 points for Mount Mercy (5-18, 2-15).

Skylar Washington popped in 13 points for Benedictine (16-8, 10-8).

Mustangs split with ranked foes

PARKVILLE, Mo. - The Mount Mercy men's volleyball team split two matches with ranked opponents Friday at the Park University tournament in Missouri.

The Mustangs lost to sixth-ranked Park University, 25-23, 22-25, 25-20, 25-20, in their first match of the tournament.

Mount Mercy bounced back by sweeping 10th-ranked Ottawa University, 25-18, 25-21, 25-23, in its next contest.

Ben Ruggles collected 65 assists in the two matches, with 35 assists against Park and 30 more against Ottawa.

Ben Steffen had 12 kills against Park and Evan Gaskill had 11. Steffen and Gaskill both had five blocks.

Basala stars as Mustangs top Graceland

Time and opportunity are slipping away for the Mount Mercy Mustangs as  they chase a spot in the Heart of America Conference playoffs, but  they won't go down without a fight.

They showed it Wednesday night.

Mount Mercy collected a crucial victory over Graceland, 93-84, in a  conference game at the Hennessey Recreation Center to keep their hopes  alive.

Bailey Basala led the way with five 3-pointers and 26 points as all  five starters scored in double figures. Davion Watson netted 18  points, Dennis McKinney 15, RoyShawn Webb 14 and Streeter McIlravy 13.

Graceland walloped Mount Mercy in their first meeting, 107-77, in late  November, but the Mustangs had the right answer this time.

The Mustangs, once 4-10 in the Heart of America Conference standings,  raised their record to 7-10 with their third straight victory while  averaging 99.3 points per game.

Only eight teams will make the conference playoffs in the 13-team  league. The Mustangs sit in ninth place, two games behind Missouri  Valley and Baker in the loss column with seven games remaining.