PERU, Neb. - The Mount Mercy men's basketball team was trimmed by Peru  State, 79-73, in a Heart of America Conference game in Nebraska  Saturday.

The Mustangs trailed by 11 points early in the second half, but they  rallied and pulled within 74-73 with 38 seconds remaining on a basket  by DJ Johnson.

Deonte McReynolds countered with a 3-pointer for Peru State and Mount  Mercy did not score again.

Dennis McKinney led the Mustangs with four 3-pointers and 20 points.  RoyShawn Webb contributed 15 points and six rebounds. Davion Watson  scored 13 points. Bailey Basala finished with nine rebounds and five  assists.

Peru State featured a balanced attack with five players scoring in  double figures, led by Henry Tanksley with 19 points.

Mount Mercy fell to 7-7 overall and 2-6 in the league. Peru State  raised its records to 7-6 overall and 6-2 in the conference.

MOUNT MERCY (73): Dennis McKinney 7-16 2-2 20, Davion Watson 5-8 1-2  13, Bailey Basala 1-8 4-7 6, RoyShawn Webb 7-14 1-3 15, Streeter  McIlravy 2-9 0-0 6, Tyler Kelley 0-6 2-2 2, Julian Hehmann 1-2 0-0 2,  Christian Reischauer 1-3 0-0 2, DJ Johnson 2-5 3-4 7. Totals 26-71  13-20 73.

PERU STATE (79): Noah Vasa 6-8 1-1 15, Issac Simpson 2-9 2-3 7, Devon  Colley 5-12 2-3 13, Henry Tanksley 7-15 3-6 19, Nate Townsen Jr. 3-13  6-8 13, O'Nandi Brooks 0-1 0-0 0, Deonte McReynolds 4-5 0-0 12, Drew  Switzer 0-0 0-0 0, Nick Brannon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-63 11-34 79.

Halftime - Peru State 43, Mount Mercy 38. 3-point goals - Mount Mercy  8-30 (McKinney 4-12, Watson 2-4, McIlravy 2-6, Webb 0-1, Reischauer  0-1, Johnson 0-1, Kelley 0-1, Basala 0-4), Peru State 11-34  (McReynolds 4-5, Vasa 2-4, Tanksley 2-7, Colley 1-5, Townsen Jr. 1-6,  Simpson 1-7).