Mustangs Fall to No. 12 Baker at Home

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Mustang men's basketball team fell to Baker University, 84-58, in Heart of America Athletic Conference play at Hennessey Recreation Center on Monday evening.

Mount Mercy (2-11, 1-8 Heart) struggled offensively, shooting 32.8% (21-for-64) from the field while Baker (12-1, 9-0 Heart) capitalized on a 46.6% (34-for-73) shooting performance to remain unbeaten in conference play.

Jaxson Fried led the Mustangs with a double-double, scoring 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds. Aidan Yamilkoski added 16 points, connecting on 4-of-12 attempts from beyond the arc. Elijah Ward contributed nine points, five rebounds, and three assists.

Baker took control early, building a 41-34 lead by halftime. The Mustangs opened the second half shooting just 27.6%, as the Wildcats pulled away with a 19-10 advantage in second-chance points and 26 points off Mount Mercy's 16 turnovers.

Keynan Russell paced Baker with a near double-double, totaling 10 points and nine rebounds, while Ty Henry tallied 14 points and eight boards. The Wildcats dominated the paint with 54 points, compared to Mount Mercy's 16.

The Mustangs will next return to the court after the holiday break, taking on Peru State on the road on January 2.