Mount
Mercy hangs on to defeat Trojans
Posted
11/7/07 11:54 AM
Curtis Kilgore |
James Scott |
CEDAR RAPIDS,
Iowa -- After
surrendering a double-digit lead, the Mount Mercy College men's
basketball team took over late and held off Trinity International
University (Ill.), 79-73, in non-conference action on Tuesday
at Hennessey Recreation Center.
The Mustangs
(2-0) led by as many as 12 points after a pair of free throws
by senior center Steve Smith with 1:48 to go in the first half.
The Trojans (0-2) cut that deficit to nine by intermission, then
went ahead, 46-44, just five minutes into the second period. Trinity
International held a five point lead, 59-54, with 8:54 left before
a 9-0 run by Mount Mercy over the next three minutes made it 63-59.
The game was
tight over the final five minutes. The Trojans enjoyed their final
lead of the night, 73-72, when Derrius Shavers dropped in two
free throws with 52 seconds remaining, but then senior forward
Curtis Kilgore took over for the Mustangs. His conventional 3-point
play with 34 seconds on the clock put Mount Mercy ahead for good,
75-73, and Kilgore's four free throws over the last 22 seconds
sealed the win.
Kilgore, who
grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, and senior guard James Scott
led the Mustangs with 17 points apiece. Smith and junior guard
Lucas Blood came up big off the bench. Smith had 14 points and
five boards, while Blood went 3-for-3 from 3-point range and finished
with 10 points and three assists. Junior guard Eric Raasch contributed
a team-best four assists and four steals.
Levi Arnold
poured in a game-high 21 points and collected four assists for
the Trojans. Chad Reilly chipped in 14 points, Shavers nine. Tim
Fromstein led Trinity International on the glass with five rebounds.
This weekend,
Mount Mercy travels to Des Moines, Iowa, for the MCC-MCAC Challenge
hosted by Grand View College. The Mustangs battle 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.
