Record Game Helps Men's Basketball Top Mount Mercy

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, (Jan. 25, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball teams traveled to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against Mount Mercy (Iowa), Saturday afternoon.  The women's team fell by a final score of 84-64.  The men's team came back from a halftime deficit to earn an 82-73 win.

Missouri Valley got out in front early in the men's game, as quick baskets from Senior Jarrius Burnett (Warrenton, Ga.) and Senior David Ajanaku (Ondo, Nigeria) made it a 4-0 score with less than one minute played.  The Vikings produced just one more field goal over the next four minutes, as the score was tied at 6-6.  Senior Cawhan Smith (Collinsville, Ill.) broke the drought with a three-pointer to put MVC back on top.  The next basket for the Vikings came near the 13-minute mark, as a Junior Alan Davis, Jr. (Sacramento, Calif.) jumper extended the lead to 13-8.  Senior Keenan Jones (Chicago, Ill.) made the first of his record-tying nine three-point baskets two minutes later, followed by a steal from Ajanaku and layup by Smith.  Jones added another three-point shot midway through the half to cap an 8-0 run and make it a 21-11 score.  Mount Mercy responded, and put together an 11-0 run over a nearly four-minute stretch of play to briefly move ahead, 22-21.  Senior Dylan Drive (Covington, Ga.) responded with a basket, but MMU extended its advantage to 29-23 with less than five minutes to play in the half.  Scoring for Missouri Valley to end the half all came from Jones, finishing with 15 points over the final four minutes.  However, the Mustangs countered each basket with made field goals, and put Missouri Valley into a 41-38 deficit at halftime.

The second half started with an early field goal from Mount Mercy, which was followed by a Viking run.  Jones came through with a three-point play, then another three pointer.  Smith chipped in with a jumper, and Jones capped a 10-0 run with a made basket to put Missouri Valley ahead, 48-43, with less than three minutes off the clock.  Smith added the next two field goals for MVC, with a pair of free throws by Ajanaku extending the lead to 54-47 near the 15-minute mark.  The advantage grew to double-digits on a three-pointer from Jones two minutes later, 61-49.  The Mustangs tried to work back, and outscored Missouri Valley by a 9-2 margin over the next three minutes, as the team's deficit shrank to 63-58 midway through the half.  The two teams traded points over the next several minutes, as the score sat at 68-62 with less than six minutes to play in the game.  A steal from Smith eventually led to an Ajanaku three-point play, as the lead stretched to 71-62.  Driver added a layup near the four-minute mark, but MVC went nearly three minutes without another field goal.  However, MMU could only create one basket during the stretch, and Jones ended the drought for Missouri Valley with his final three-pointer of the game with one minute to play, to give the team a 77-69 lead.  Burnett made three free throw attempts, and Ajanaku made another pair of free throws to hold off the Mustangs late, and secure an 82-73 win.

Leading the way was Jones, who scored a career-high 37 points, to go with six rebounds.  The 37 points is the most in a single-game since Jace Lance scored 37 against Park (Mo.) back on Dec. 7, 2022.  Jones also tied an all-time program-record with nine made three-pointers.  That ties Jace Lance, against Baptist Bible (Mo.) on Nov. 11, 2022, and Koby Achane against Greenville (S.C.) on Nov. 17, 1995.  Smith added 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Driver came off the bench to total 11 points and eight rebounds.  Missouri Valley held a 37-33 advantage in rebounds and forced 19 turnovers.

The win moves Missouri Valley to 8-12 overall and 7-9 in the Heart.  Mount Mercy drops to 2-18 on the season and 1-15 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking basketball teams host Central Methodist (Mo.) for the annual Winter Social inside the Burns Athletic Complex, Wednesday evening.  Women's game starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7:30 p.m.

Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.