LAMONI, Iowa (Interstat) — A surging Graceland squad looks to continue its strong NAIA men’s basketball season when it hosts a .500 Mount Mercy team on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at Morden Center.

The Yellowjackets (15-3) enter on a high note after a 92-91 overtime road victory over Baker on Saturday. Runey Hernandez powered that win with 22 points and 14 rebounds, his second double-double in three games. The forward is averaging 15.0 points and 9.8 rebounds over his last four contests, providing consistent interior production for a Graceland team whose only loss since November came in a narrow 85-83 defeat at William Penn (Iowa) on Jan. 14.

Mount Mercy (9-9) seeks steadiness after alternating wins and losses over its past six games. The Mustangs are coming off a 71-80 loss at Missouri Valley on Saturday, despite a 25-point effort from guard Jaxson Fried. Fried has been a bright spot, averaging 19.8 points over his last four outings, including a 24-point performance in a 94-65 rout of Park on Jan. 10.

The matchup features a stark contrast in momentum. Graceland has won 10 of its last 11 games, while Mount Mercy has struggled to string together consecutive victories since early December. The Yellowjackets won the first meeting last season, 89-78.

Hernandez’s rebounding prowess will test a Mount Mercy frontcourt that allowed 80 points in its last outing. For the Mustangs to pull an upset on the road, they will need another high-scoring night from Fried and support from secondary scorers like Brayson Laube, who added 20 points against Missouri Valley.

The game is the first of a home-and-home series between the Heart of America Athletic Conference rivals this season, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 11 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.