[Men's Basketball] Warriors hang on, hand Mustangs league loss

FOREST CITY, Iowa -- After trailing Waldorf by as many as 16 points, Mount Mercy had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but a 3-pointer was off the mark and the 16th-ranked Mustang men's basketball team dropped its third straight game, 58-56, on Saturday at Hanson Fieldhouse.

Waldorf (6-6, 2-3 MCC) led, 33-17, with 2:25 remaining in the first half and took a 33-23 into the break. The Warriors were up by 11 points early in the second period before Mount Mercy (11-5, 2-3 MCC) slowly chipped away at the lead. A jumper by junior forward Alex Coleman gave the Mustangs their first lead, 51-50, since the 12-minute mark of the first half.

The lead changed hands five times over the final four minutes. A bucket by junior guard Markus Cocroft had Mount Mercy in front, 56-55, with 43 seconds to go. Jordan Nelson answered with a jumper 20 seconds later to move Waldorf ahead for good. After a free throw by Sean Chennault with five seconds on the clock made it 58-56, Cocroft's potential game-winner was off the mark at the buzzer.

Coleman's 13 points led the Mustangs. Senior forward Sam Kenyi and junior forward Chad Underwood added 10 points apiece and Cocroft finished with nine. Kenyi grabbed six rebounds, Underwood five. Sophomore guard Bobby Sherwood had a game-high six assists.

Chennault tallied 15 points and Eddie Taylor-Boyce 11 for the Warriors. Greg Howell chipped in nine points, Brian Tollette seven. Tollette also snared 10 rebounds and Chennault pulled down six boards.

Mount Mercy will take on St. Ambrose in the second of three consecutive road games on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Lee Lohman Arena in Davenport.