[Women's Basketball] Mustangs escape with home win

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- It wasn't easy, but Mount Mercy overcame its worst shooting night since its season opener to defeat Clarke, 60-57, in a Midwest Collegiate Conference women's basketball matchup on Thursday at Hennessey Recreation Center.

The Mustangs missed all 11 of their 3-point attempts and were just 4-of-23 (17.4%) from the field in the opening period, and trailed, 26-18, at intermission. After the Crusaders opened up their largest lead of the game, 33-21, less than two minutes into the second half, Mount Mercy went on a 13-0 run to take their first lead since the 12-minute mark of the first period.

Clarke would lead by seven again with 12:10 left, and the Mustangs wouldn't see the lead again until a jumper by freshman Amanda Frost put them in front, 54-53, with 3:25 to go. The lead changed hands two more times before junior guard Emily Greiner's bucket with 2:09 on the clock put Mount Mercy ahead for good. The Crusaders, who ended up with 37 turnovers, went scoreless over the final 2:54 of regulation, giving the Mustangs a sweep of their season series.

Mount Mercy (13-11, 7-3 MCC) shot 27.4 percent from the floor on Thursday night, their lowest percentage since shooting 26.9 percent in its season opener against Sioux Falls (S.D.). Junior guard Micha Mims hit four 3-pointers while scoring a game-high 23 points. She also had four rebounds, five assists, and six of Mount Mercy's 16 steals. Junior guards Laura Lippert and Ashley Koch added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Koch also tallied four steals.

Clarke's Jenna Kotas scored 20 points and Shatisha Lewis posted a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Lewis also dished out five assists and had two steals for the Crusaders (7-16, 3-7 MCC).

Mount Mercy welcomes league-leading William Penn (18-6, 9-1 MCC) to Hennessey Recreation Center on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. start. The Lady Statesmen knocked off 11th-ranked St. Ambrose (18-4, 8-2 MCC) on Thursday to take sole possession of first place in the MCC. William Penn beat the Mustangs, 74-66, in overtime on Dec. 4 in Oskaloosa.