Mustangs
win 10th straight season opener
Posted
11/3/07 12:26 PM
Curtis Kilgore |
Brett McGee |
Brandon Barnhart |
CEDAR RAPIDS,
Iowa -- For the 10th year in a row, the Mount Mercy College men's
basketball team won its season opener, building an 11-point halftime
lead en route to a 67-53 victory over Purdue University-North
Central (Ind.) on Friday at Hennessey Recreation Center.
The Mustangs
(1-0) overcame a 4-for-20 shooting performance from 3-point range
by dominating the paint. Senior forwards Brett McGee and Curtis
Kilgore and junior forward Brandon Barnhart combined for 38 points
and 24 rebounds as Mount Mercy held a 51-31 advantage on the glass.
McGee scored 15 points and grabbed a game-high 12 boards. Barnhart
added 12 points and five rebounds, while Kilgore tallied 11 points
and seven rebounds.
Senior guard
James Scott chipped in nine points for the Mustangs. Mount Mercy's
rebounding edge was also bolstered by senior guard Rodney Jackson,
who snared seven boards, and senior forward Steve Smith, who collected
six caroms.
Terry Polk's
16 points and eight rebounds led the way for Purdue-North Central.
Adam Dobrzeniecki totaled 11 points and seven boards before fouling
out. Sylvester James also scored 11 points and pulled down six
rebounds.
Mount Mercy
hosts Trinity International University (Ill.) on Tuesday at 7:30
p.m. at Hennessey. The Trojans were an NAIA Division I national
tournament qualifier last season. Next weekend, the Mustangs play
in the MCC-MCAC Challenge hosted by Grand View College in Des
Moines, Iowa. Mount Mercy faces NAIA Division II 17th-ranked Bellevue
University (Neb.) on Friday at 5:30 p.m., then Peru State College
(Neb.) on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
