Mustangs fall to Pioneers

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Mount Mercy faced a buzzsaw on Saturday as 25th-ranked MidAmerica Nazarene shot 59 percent overall and 56 percent from 3-point range in a 116-83 defeat of the Mustangs in Heart of America Athletic Conference action at Hennessey Recreation Center.

The league-leading Pioneers (20-4, 18-2 Heart) finished 17-of-30 (56.7%) beyond the arc and 44-of-74 (59.5%) overall while surpassing 50 points in both halves. They followed up a 54-point first half with 62 points over the final 20 minutes. The Mustangs (7-18, 6-15 Heart) did manage to outscore the Pioneers, 20-11, at the free throw line.

Aidan Yamilkoski scored 19 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead Mount Mercy. Ryan Bartley added 13 points and six boards. Riley Pankey came off the bench to score 10 points. Anthony Horton, Jr. contributed nine points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

Brooks Langrehr was 7-of-9 from 3-point range while scoring 23 points in 22 minutes off the bench for the Pioneers. Ed Wright tallied 20 points, Caleb Jones-McCrary 15 points and seven rebounds, and Anthony Brown 15 points, eight boards, and five assists. Brantyn Van Dyk chipped in 10 points and six assists.

Three regular season games remain for Mount Mercy. Two are on the road, both next week. The Mustangs travel to Charles Field House in Canton, Mo., on Wednesday at face Culver-Stockton (12-12, 10-10 Heart) at 7:30 pm. Then on Saturday, Mount Mercy is in Atchison, Kan., for a matchup with Benedictine (8-15, 7-13 Heart) at 2:00 pm at Ralph Nolan Gymnasium.