Pirates Sink Mustangs in Missouri

PARKVILLE, Mo. – The Mount Mercy men's basketball team fell on the road in Missouri against Park on Saturday afternoon, falling 79-51 in a Heart of America Athletic Conference contest.

Mount Mercy (2-15, 1-12 Heart of America) struggled offensively, shooting 27.0% from the field and committing 20 turnovers. Despite the setback, the Mustangs showed persistence on the boards, grabbing 43 rebounds, including 18 on the offensive end.

Kaden Johnson led Mount Mercy with 10 points, four rebounds, and one assist. Caden Schroeder contributed 11 points off the bench, hitting 2-of-5 from beyond the arc. Hannes Bergmann made his presence felt in the post, pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds while adding eight points.

The Mustangs trailed 39-22 at halftime after shooting 25.0% from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Mount Mercy made minor offensive adjustments in the second half, improving its three-point shooting to 27.3%, but could not overcome Park's strong defensive pressure.

Park (9-8, 8-5 Heart of America) capitalized on Mount Mercy's miscues, scoring 26 points off turnovers. The Pirates also dominated inside, outscoring the Mustangs 42-22 in the paint. Park's balanced attack was led by Abubakar Kromah, who recorded a near double-double with 13 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. Teammate Jasigha Barnes added 14 points, including two three-pointers.

Mount Mercy will look to bounce back when it returns home to host William Penn on Wednesday at Hennessey Recreation Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.