LA CROSSE, Wis. – The 17th-ranked Mount Mercy men’s basketball team suffered an 81-78 setback against unranked Viterbo on Saturday at the R.W. Beggs Sr. Gym.

The Mustangs started slow, trailing 13-4 early, but cut the lead to 79-78 with 15 seconds left. Two free throws by Pete Drummond with eight seconds on the clock sealed it for Viterbo.

Alex Houston scored 18 points for Mount Mercy (22-7), C.J. Parker had 15 points, and Kyle Lamaak added 12.

Jared Fleischmann had 18 points for Viterbo (13-16).

MOUNT MERCY (78): Houston 4 10-12 18, Wagner 3 0-0 7, Ford 0 0-2 0, Parker 3 8-8 15, Bedford 1 1-2 3, Strong 2 0-0 6, Murdock 0 0-0 0, Brawner 4 0-0 9, Lamaak 5 2-4 12, Struss 1 1-2 4, Gogg 2 0-2 4. Totals 25 22-32 78.

VITERBO (81): Fleischmann 6 4-5 18, Drummond 3 9-10 17, Bamke 2 2-5 6, Engelstad 7 0-0 14, Haberman 4 2-2 12, Gossman 1 4-6 7, Poehls 1 0-0 3, Kiekhafer 0 0-0 0, Anderson 0 0-0 0, Johnson 2 0-0 4. Totals 26 21-28 81.

Halftime – Viterbo 38, Mount Mercy 26. 3-point goals – Mount Mercy 6 (Strong 2, Wagner, Parker, Brawner, Struss), Viterbo 8 (Fleischmann 2, Drummond 2, Haberman 2, Gossman, Poehls).