Three V-Hawks Score 20, but Viterbo Falls to Mount Mercy

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Men's Basketball team lost 92-95 to Mount Mercy University (Iowa) Monday night in R.W. Beggs, Sr. Gymnasium. The V-Hawks fall to 7-6 while the Mustangs improve to 4-8.

Alex King started the game with a steal that led to a layup, and Robert Cunitz hit a pair of baskets followed by Ben Olson's layup to go up 9-3. Riley Pankey hit a three to tie the game at 13-13, and Olson scored on two more layups as the teams traded leads four times. A 7-0 run for the Mustangs put them up 20-25 at the 7:09 mark. Jack Monis ended the run, and set up Cunitz layup following an Olson steal to bring the score to 28-30. Cunitz stole the ball and took it all the way for a layup to give Viterbo the 34-33 lead, and converted another layup on the following possession. Cole Crubel found Dakota Mannel for a three with 1:44 left in the half and although Mount Mercy scored the last two baskets of the period, the V-Hawks took a 40-39 lead into the break.

Cunitz led three V-Hawks in double-digits with 12 first-half points, wile Monis had 11 and Olson had 10. Cunitz and Olson each also posted two steals. Ryan Bartley tied the first-half high with12 and Anthony Horton, Jr. added 10.

Mount Mercy opened the second with three quick three-pointers and a layup, but Crubel helped pace the V-Hawks with a pair of threes of his own to go with an Olson layup. Cameron Pierson's layup at 16:33 brought the Mustang run to 8-0. While Mannel's layup ended the run, MMU would manage to grow their lead to 12, 55-67 at 12:36. Mannel assisted a Cunitz and-one, a Colin Adams three, and another Cunitz layup, but Horton, Jr. kept the Mustangs in a comfortable lead, and Kenny Clay put them up 13 with a layup at 6:24. Monis scored eight straight points as part of a 13-3 V-Hawk run that brought the score to 84-87 with just over three minutes left. Crubel's jumper gave Viterbo the 90-89 lead, but Bartley responded with a jumper to take the lead back with :34 left in the game. Following a missed three-point attempt, Viterbo was forced to foul. Cole Hrubes hit both free throws to go up three, but Monis was fouled on a rebound to bring it back within one. Pierson went two-for-two , and the V-Hawks tying buzzer beating three attempt was no good, giving Mount Mercy the victory.

The teams shot almost identical percentages from the floor, both around 61%, but Mount Mercy had the narrow edge from three, 43%-50%. Those threes would end up making the difference, as Viterbo won the rebounding battle 27-21, and also had more points in the paint (50-40) and second chance points (15-7).

Cunitz led all scorers with 23, while also posting four rebounds, two steals, and a block. Monis had 22 with six rebounds, and Olson had 20 and three steals. Mannel also added 12 points and eight assists. Horton, Jr. and Bartley each had 22 points, with Horton, Jr. adding five rebounds, three steals and a block, and Bartley contributed five assists and a block.

The V-Hawks return to action on Friday, December 30 as they play host to Dakota Wesleyan University.