Yamilkoski's Game High Lifts Mustangs Past Clarke in Final Home Game of the Season

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Mount Mercy (14-13, 9-10) clinched an emphatic 85-66 win over Clarke (4-23, 1-18) on Wednesday night at Hennessey Rec Center. The Mustangs surged in the second half, outscoring Clarke by 20 points after the break.

Mount Mercy kicked off the first half with a swift layup from Aiden Price, setting an early pace. The Mustangs widened their lead to nine at the 16:36 mark when Jordan Willis sank two free throws. Clarke countered with a burst of scoring, including a 3-pointer from Lovre Stanovic, snatching a narrow 40-39 lead by halftime. A layup by Jaxson Fried with just six seconds left pulled the Mustangs within one, setting up a fiercely contested second half.

In the second half, Mount Mercy took control, outscoring Clarke 46-26. Aidan Yamilkoski's streak of three consecutive 3-pointers was crucial, bolstering the Mustangs' lead. Fried chipped in with layups and free throws, while Clarke's Stanovic and Jonovan Howard attempted to keep pace. Yet, with Mount Mercy's tenacious defense and sharpshooting, they stretched their lead to 23 points by the 3:35 mark, sealing the victory.

Brayson Laube tallied 18 points and five assists, playing a key role in the win. Yamilkoski led with 20 points, including four 3-pointers. Fried notched a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, impacting both ends of the court. Willis also grabbed 10 rebounds and poured in a season-high 12 points, strengthening the team's collective effort.

Nick Bryant paced Clarke with 11 points, shooting 4-of-6 and collecting nine rebounds. Howard added 12 points, making 6-of-14 shots, alongside four rebounds and an assist. Carson Lindauer matched Bryant's rebounding with nine boards and scored 11 points on 5-of-15 shooting. Stanovic topped Clarke's scoring with 16 points, going 5-of-9 from the floor, including three 3-pointers, and contributed two assists.

Next up, the Mustangs will face William Woods on Saturday, Feb. 21, in Fulton, Missouri, with tip-off slated for 2 p.m.