V-Hawks hold on to upset Mustangs

LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Mount Mercy never led, but the 17th-ranked Mustangs used a late run to make things interesting before losing for the first time in five games, 81-78, to Viterbo (Wis.) on Saturday at R.W. Beggs Sr. Gymnasium.

The V-Hawks scored 13 of the game's first 15 points and led by as many as 18 in the first period. After trailing by 12 at intermission, Mount Mercy got within a point on two occassions in the second half before a pair of late free throws by Pete Drummond closed out the Mustangs.

Alex Houston scored 10 of his game-high 18 points at the free throw line for Mount Mercy (22-7). CJ Parker was 8-of-8 at the foul line while totaling 15 points and Kyle Lamaak added 12 points. Houston and Tre Wagner each collected six rebounds and Wagner dished out three assists.

Jared Fleischmann matched Houston with 18 points for Viterbo (13-16). Drummond finished with 17 points, Erik Engelstad 14 and Ethan Haberman 12. Auston Poehls grabbed five rebounds and Drummond had six assists.

Mount Mercy takes the top seed into the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) Men's Basketball Championship next weekend. The Mustangs play eighth-seeded Johnson & Wales (Colo.) in a Friday quarterfinal at 7:30 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids.