[Men's Basketball] Cocroft’s free throws clinch road win

FULTON, Mo. -- After leading by as many as nine points in the second half, 16th-ranked Mount Mercy needed a pair of free throws by junior guard Markus Cocroft with three seconds left to seal a 71-67 non-conference men's basketball victory over William Woods (Mo.) on Saturday at Anderson Arena.

The Mustangs (11-2) won their first eight games this season, dropped two in a row and now take a three-game winning streak into the holiday break. They'll do that despite shooting just 39.1 percent from the floor on Saturday, which included a 3-of-21 showing from 3-point range. Mount Mercy connected on 18-of-22 free throws, however, and outrebounded the Owls, 42-40.

Cocroft and senior forward Sam Kenyi scored 17 points apiece for the Mustangs. Junior guard Sid Beck joined them in double digits with 10 points and junior forward Chad Underwood added nine. Kenyi also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and Beck snared six.

Logan Decker's 17 points led William Woods. Jonathon Nutt and Seth Thomas had 15 points each, Roy McElroy 11. Thomas and McElroy finished with eight rebounds apiece while Nutt had six boards.

Mount Mercy will be back in action on Friday, Dec. 30, when it takes on intra-city rival Coe at 7:00 p.m. at Eby Fieldhouse in Cedar Rapids.