(Peru, Neb.) – The Mount Mercy (Iowa) men's basketball team jumped on the 'Cats early with a 15-4 run to open up the game. That set the rest of the game in motion as the Mustangs won in Peru, 83-58 Monday night in a Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) match-up.
 
Mount Mercy improved to 8-9 overall and 6-6 in Heart North play as Peru State fell to 9-11 overall and 5-10 in the conference.
 
Currently the Bobcats sit in the fifth spot in the Heart North division. The conference takes the top four in the North and South division for the post-season tournament.
 
First Half Action
 
Mount Mercy jumped out to an early 5-0 before Henry Tanksley (Lincoln) got a two-pointer to fall to cut the lead to three with 16:38 in the half.

 
The Mustangs went on another 8-0 run before Ta'Vion Anderson (Omaha) made a field goal with 14:17 before intermission as the Mustangs led 15-4.
 
The 'Cats went on a 6-0 run to get back within five of Mount Mercy. Carl Brown (Omaha) made a three-pointer off the pass from Anderson. Tyrece Griggs (Omaha) got a three ball to go in also off an assist from Anderson.
 
The biggest deficit the 'Cats faced in the half was 23 points with 8:21 remaining in the half with the score at 36-13. Mount Mercy would only score six more points the rest of the half.
 
The comeback for Peru State started when Montenia Nelson (Kenosha, Wis.) made a field goal.
 
Tanksley would get in on the action after he made a two-pointer and got fouled on the play. He made the free throw to cut the lead to 15 with 6:02 remaining with the score at 38-23.
 
Anderson made field goal off the pass from Griggs to cut the lead to 11 with 3:15 remaining in the game.
 
Then, four straight points came from the 'Cats. Fields made a bucket coming off an assist by Tanksley and Tanksley made a field goal off the dish from Griggs to cut the lead to four at 40-36 with 42 seconds remaining in the game.
 
The Mustangs would score with 31 seconds remaining to take the six-point lead going into halftime at 42-36.
 
Second Half Action
 
The Mustangs opened up a 7-2 run to open the second as they got the lead back to double-digits with 17:09 remaining in the game with the score at 49-38.
 
Tanksley made a bucket to get the lead back down to single digits with 16:40 remaining in the game with the score sitting at 49-40.
 
The scoring would go back and forth for the next few minutes.
 
Isaac Simpson (Papillion) made a two-pointer off the pass from Tanksley to get within ten at 60-50 with 10:17 remaining in the game.
 
This would be the closest the 'Cats would get the rest of the game.

MOUNT MERCY GAME BOOK
 
Team Stats
 
Mount Mercy made 34 of 68 field goals for 50% which included 9 of 31 from the three-point line for 29%. At the charity stripe, the Mustangs were 6 of 10 for 60%. Peru State made 23 of 59 field goals for 39% which included 3 of 20 from three for 15%. At the free throw line, the 'Cats made 9 of 11 for 81%.
 
Mount Mercy grabbed 34 rebounds – five were offensive while the Bobcats grabbed 33.
 
The Mustangs dished out 26 assists while committing 10 turnovers while Peru State had 8 assists while committing 18 turnovers.
 
Mount Mercy had ten steals and three blocks while the 'Cats had six steals and two blocks.
 
Peru Individual Stats

 
Tanksley led the way with a team-high 22 points. Griggs finished with eight and Anderson finished with seven (season-high).
 
Tanksley grabbed team-high seven rebounds while Griggs and Anderson (season-high) each had four.
 
Anderson had team-high and season-high three assists while Nelson, Griggs, and Tanksley each dished out two assists.
 
Tanksley tied for game-high with three steals while Anderson was credited for two. Tyler Witt (Falls City) was credited for one.
 
Simpson and Nelson were each credited for one block.
 
Upcoming games
 
The Bobcats will be on the road for the next two contests. The men's team will travel to Baldwin City, Kan., to face Baker on Feb. 11. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
The second road game will be at Parkville, Mo., to face Park on Feb. 13. Tip-off will be at 1 p.m.