[Women's Basketball] Tigers hand Mustangs first league loss

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Iowa Wesleyan put the clamps on a high-scoring Mount Mercy offense and handed the Mustangs their first league loss, 67-51, in Midwest Collegiate Conference women's basketball on Wednesday at Hennessey Recreation Center.

The eighth-ranked Mustangs (15-5, 7-1 MCC) came in as the top scoring offense in the league at nearly 74 points per game, while the Tigers (10-7, 6-2 MCC) had the top scoring defense in the MCC, holding opponents to just over 57 points per contest. Iowa Wesleyan's aggressive defense won out on Wednesday, holding Mount Mercy to its lowest point total and shooting percentage (33.3%) of the season.

Mount Mercy's leading scorers, senior guards Emily Greiner and Micha Mims, got only 12 field goal attempts combined. Greiner was 8-of-8 at the free throw line while scoring a team-best 11 points and Mims finished with eight points. Sophomore forward Amanda Frost added 10 points and three assists. Senior guard Laura Lippert scored nine points, senior guard Ashley Koch pulled down eight rebounds.

Danielle DesJardins and Anna Jones, the reigning MCC Player of the Week, killed the Mustangs on Wednesday night. DesJardins hit three 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 21 points. Jones had a double-double, racking up 20 points and 11 rebounds to go with four assists and three steals. Ashley Kruse scored 15 points before fouling out, and Samantha Hodge grabbed seven boards.

Mount Mercy saw its 10-game winning streak come to an end, but the Mustangs can get back on track this weekend when they host Viterbo (Wis.) (8-12, 6-2 MCC) on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Hennessey. The V-Hawks come in a game behind Mount Mercy and 12th-ranked Grand View (15-5, 7-1 MCC), who are tied atop the MCC standings.