Mount Vernon to hoops title game for 1st time since 1973 (live)

DES MOINES - Wells Fargo Arena is the site for this Class 2A state basketball tournament semifinal. Fourth-seeded Mount Vernon comes in with a 21-4 record and after a 56-39 quarterfinal win over North Cedar. MFL/Mar-Mac (24-1) is the top seed and escaped its quarterfinal against Sioux Center, 73-72.

MV comes in with the 2A tourney field's best defense statistically. MFL/Mar-Mac is the top-scoring team in the field.

Here are the starting lineups:

Mount Vernon - Hunter Ruth (6-3, senior); Will Teubel (5-10, senior); Jake Timm (6-1, senior); Micah Russell (5-10, senior); Jack Keleher (5-11, senior).

MFL/Mar-Mac - Carter Snitker (5-10, junior); Jacob Dotzler (6-2, senior); Dalton Dettbarn (6-2, senior); C.J. Mason (6-3, junior); Brandon Hertrampf (6-3, senior).

First-Quarter Updates

Slow start to this one, as both teams struggled with their shots the first half of the quarter. But Mount Vernon got hot late to assume a 15-6 lead.

MFL/Mar-Mac was 3 of 13 from the field. Mount Vernon got 6 points from Keleher, 4 from Timm and a big 3-pointer just before the buzzer from Russell. That capped 7-0 run.

Second-Quarter Updates

It's MV at halftime, 34-22. Second quarter was all about Keleher and Timm, as they scored 13 consecutive points between them in the quarter to help MV extend its margin.

Timm finished with 12 first-half points to Keleher's 11. The Mustangs hit an even 50 percent of their shots from the field (14 for 28). A Keleher steal and layup with 1:24 left before half gave MV its biggest leaed of 14, 32-18.

MFL/Mar-Mac had nine first-half turnovers, which was an important statistic. Blake Winter came off the bench to lead the Bulldogs in scoring with 6 points. Hertrampf had 5 points and 6 rebounds.

Third-Quarter Updates

Mount Vernon with first six points of second half to take a 40-22 lead. Timeout MFL/Mar-Mac.

Mustangs shooting 58 percent from the field late in the quarter and have 48-32 edge. MFL unable to get stops defensively, obviously. Game has become increasingly uptempo. MV with just three turnovers.

It's 53-35 MV after three. Timm with 20 points, Keleher with 15, Russell 11. Hertrampf has 11 to lead MFL. Leading scorer Mason (16.6 ppg) has just 4.

Fourth-Quarter Updates