CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Grand View Men's Basketball defeated Mount Mercy University in their Tuesday night matchup. In a thrilling contest, the Vikings relied on balanced scoring and limited turnovers to narrowly edge out the Mustangs, securing a 59-58 victory in the final moments.

The Vikings were first on the board with Joe Knudson's early layup, followed shortly after by a three-point basket from Jackson Green. The Mustangs led for almost the entirety of the first half, but Grand View kept pace offensively to stay within striking distance. Three other Vikings connected from beyond the arc—Ayden Foster, Patrick Worrell, and Connor Robertson—helping the team shoot 50% (4-of-8) from three-point range in the half. A layup from Green with five seconds left on the clock sent the Vikings to halftime down by just one point. Green and Foster led the offense in the half, each with seven points, while Knudson led the team with four rebounds. The Vikings had seven players contribute offensively, showcasing balanced team involvement.

Knutson once again ignited the offense coming out of the break with an early layup and a jump shot, on assists from Matthew Boldt and Worrell. Boldt also contributed defensively, recording two blocks in the first three minutes of the second half. The Vikings continued to fight from behind, but a Worrell three-pointer followed by a dunk, both assisted by Jaxson Young, brought the deficit to one. Robertson hit another three to tie the score at 52-52, and Young then put Grand View up by two with less than six minutes remaining. Mount Mercy was able to regain the lead, but Young responded once again with a jumper to even the score. With just over a minute to go, Green made a momentum-shifting steal and converted it into an and-one layup, putting the Vikings ahead. Up by one point with eight seconds left, Grand View locked in defensively, forcing the Mustangs to take a rushed shot and sealing the team's first conference victory of the season, 59-58. 

GAME NOTES

• Jackson Green led with 13 points, 2 steals, and 4 rebounds.
• Jaxson Young chipped in 12 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
• Patrick Worrell added 9 points, led the team with 6 rebounds, and shot 2-of-3 from three-point range.
• Matthew Boldt recorded 3 blocks, while James Ogrodink added 2.
• The Vikings shot 47.1% from the three-point line (8-of-17) and forced 13 turnovers while committing just 7.

UP NEXT
The Vikings will take the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving break before heading to Peru, Nebraska on Wednesday, December 4^th, at 7:30 p.m., where they will face off against Peru State College in another Heart of America conference matchup.