Jaxson Wingert poured in 30 points, and
Dawson Mohr added 23 as the Briar Cliff men's basketball team rolled to a 96–72 win over Mount Mercy on Friday night at the Newman Flanagan Center.
"I was pleased with our effort tonight, I thought we sustained our effort and intensity for a good chunk of that 40 minutes," said Head Coach
Mark Svagera. "I was most pleased with the activity we played on defense, that's something we have stressed at a really high level in the pre season. I thought we battled some adversity with a couple minor injuries that happened, were happy to be 1-0 and we'll get back to work and keep pushing to get better."
Wingert went 10-of-18 from the floor and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line, while Mohr connected on seven 3-pointers in 11 attempts.
Blake Sindelar chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds, and
Wil Lugar provided balance with six points, eight boards, and three assists.
The Chargers jumped out quickly with a 45–33 halftime lead, fueled by hot perimeter shooting and ball movement that produced 13 first-half assists. Briar Cliff stayed in command after the break, outscoring the Mustangs 51–39 in the second half to pull away for a comfortable 24-point victory.
As a team, Briar Cliff shot 51.5% (35-of-68) from the field, including 12-of-26 from beyond the arc, and dominated the glass with a 42–35 rebounding edge. The Chargers also turned 11 Mount Mercy turnovers into 21 points and scored 46 points in the paint.
Mount Mercy was led by Brayson Laube's 14 points, while Kaden Johnson added 10 and Jaxson Fried had nine points, six rebounds, and three assists. The Mustangs shot 36.6% from the floor and 28.1% from 3-point range.
The Chargers will head to Winona Lake, Indiana to take on Huntington University next Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
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