CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Men's Basketball snapped their four-game losing streak on Saturday with a strong game from behind the arc and a strong second-half defensive effort.

Benedictine set a new team single-game high with 14 3-pointers while holding Mount Mercy to just 29.2 percent from the floor in the second half to turn a one-point halftime lead into a 71-52 win.

The Mustangs jumped ahead by 9 points inside the first six minutes of the game as the Ravens started slow offensively. A 3-pointer by Matt Austin and a five-point scoring effort from Saxton Thuston later and the Ravens cut their deficit down to a point, 16-15, four minutes later. A pair of Jaiden Temme 3-pointers gave the Ravens their first lead of the half midway through and set the stage for the final minutes of the first half. After four ties and six lead changes, Thuston hit a free throw with 24 seconds remaining in the half to give Benedictine the advantage at the break.

Just three minutes into the second half, the Ravens lead had vanished and the Mustangs pulled ahead by seven points. A basket from Eric Krus gave the Ravens their first points of the second half before back-to-back-back 3-pointers from Austin, Chris Jackson and Krus erased the Ravens deficit and gave them back the lead that they would never give back.

Benedictine held the Mustangs to 17 points in the second half while outscoring them 24-7 over the final 15 minutes of the game.

The Ravens hit 46.3 percent from the field while forcing 19 turnovers. Five Ravens reached double figures as Benedictine combined to score 28 points off their bench. Thuston led the scoring effort with 13, Nysir Scott added 12 while Jackson, Temme, and Austin finished with 11 points each. 

Benedictine remains on the road on Wednesday, traveling to Olathe for a 7:30 p.m. game with MNU. They return to the Ralph Nolan Gymnasium on Feb. 12 to host Baker University for Senior Day at 2 p.m.

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