Mustangs Struggle in Loss Against Wildcats

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Mount Mercy's struggles continued at the Hennessey Rec Center as they fell to Culver-Stockton (MO), 65-35. The Mustangs, now 9-11 overall and 5-8 in conference play, couldn't recover after trailing by as many as 31 points in the fourth quarter. A tough shooting night saw them at just 23.2% from the field. Meanwhile, the Wildcats, now 16-6 overall and 10-4 in conference action, dominated the boards with a 48-38 rebounding edge and racked up 30 points in the paint.

The Mustangs opened the game cold, hitting only two of their fifteen attempts in the first quarter. Culver-Stockton seized control early, with Nevaiah Bell-Tenner leading an effective charge in the paint. Despite a late 3-pointer by Aubrey Luvan, the Wildcats ended the quarter with a commanding 15–5 lead.

The second quarter saw Culver-Stockton extend their advantage, as Mount Mercy struggled to find the basket. Sienna Pillsbury's layup briefly ended the drought, while Taylor Rose added two free throws, but the deficit grew. By halftime, the Wildcats had built a 32-9 lead, capitalizing on turnovers and sharp shooting. Candace Baker's steal highlighted a few defensive bright spots, but the Mustangs couldn't convert those into points.

Mount Mercy showed a spark in the third quarter with a scoring drive initiated by Sydni Morris, who completed an and-one play. Contributions from Pillsbury and Rose added to the effort, yet Culver-Stockton's offense remained relentless. Luvan hit another 3-pointer, assisted by Isabel Wallschlaeger, but turnovers stifled momentum. Baker's block and Morris's scoring kept the Mustangs competitive in the quarter, which ended 16–17, but Mount Mercy still trailed 25–49 overall.

In the final quarter, Mount Mercy attempted a rally with Baker's layup at 7:44 and a three-pointer at 4:30. However, turnovers derailed their momentum, and the Wildcats capitalized with timely baskets, including a three-pointer from Misora Nambara. The game wrapped up with Mount Mercy on the losing end of a 65-35 scoreline.

Morris led the Mustangs with 12 points, making 5 of 8 shots and pulling down three rebounds. Baker was a defensive force with three blocks and seven rebounds. Rose chipped in four points and five rebounds, along with a block, while Luvan added six points from beyond the arc and contributed two assists.

For the Wildcats, Bell-Tenner was dominant, scoring 21 points on 7 of 9 shooting and a flawless 6 of 6 from the line, plus two steals. Avery Oetting was a defensive standout with four steals and six rebounds, also adding eight points. Nambara dished out six assists and scored 12 points, including two 3-pointers. Keyara Baerga-Plumey added nine points and four rebounds.

Looking ahead, Mount Mercy hosts Peru State on Saturday, Jan. 31 at noon in Cedar Rapids.