PERU, Neb. - The Mount Mercy men's basketball team squandered a 16-point lead on the road Saturday and lost to 14th-ranked Peru State, 83-74, in a Heart of America Conference game in Nebraska.

The Mustangs took a 54-38 advantage with 15:34 remaining on a 3-pointer by Mychael Brawner-Henley, but Peru State promptly exploded for an 18-0 surge to grab the lead at 56-54.

Mount Mercy regained an advantage at 59-58, but it was all downhill from there.

Brawner-Henley poured in eight 3-pointers and scored 31 points for the Mustangs. Dennis McKinney contributed 20 points, but nobody else reached double figures for Mount Mercy. Antwain Strong dished out 12 assists.

Bailey Basala did not play for the Mustangs.

Jamil Maddred and Lyle Hexom scored 22 points apiece for Peru State (18-7, 3-6). Peru State pounded Mount Mercy on the backboards, 40-21. Hexom had 13 rebounds.

Mount Mercy fell to 14-13 overall and 9-12 in the conference. The Mustangs have three more games in the regular season, all at home at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

MOUNT MERCY (74): Brawner-Henley 11 1-3 31, Johnson 1 0-0 2, Reischauer 1 0-0 3, Albagami 3 0-0 7, McKinney 9 0-0 20, Villagrana 0 0-0 0, Strong 1 2-4 4, Evans 3 1-1 7. Totals 29 4-8 74.

PERU STATE (83): Maddred 6 8-10 22, Wurm 0 0-0 0, Jones 7 2-4 17, Wilson 4 2-2 12, McReynolds 2 0-0 6, Carey 0 0-0 0, Hexom 9 2-2 22, Wardy 1 2-2 4. Totals 29 16-20 83.

Halftime - Mount Mercy 41, Peru State 31. 3-point goals - Mount Mercy 12 (Brawner-Henley 8, McKinney 2, Albagami 1, Reischauer 1), Peru State 9 (Maddred 2, Hexon 2, Wilson 2, McReynolds 2, Jones 1).