CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Raven men's basketball team opened up the 2011-12 season on the road Friday night, taking on Mount Mercy University in the Bosch Financial Shootout.

Benedictine (0-1) was held to 38.5 percent from the floor while Mount Mercy (1-0) used a 41.4 percent effort in the first half to build a halftime lead that they would never give away as they beat the Ravens 64-50.

The Ravens took the lead early and held it two more times until the Mustangs went on a 14-3 run that allowed them to push ahead by 11 points.

Benedictine battled to close their halftime deficit to four points, 31-27.

In the second half, the Ravens kept pace with the Mustangs until the regained the lead at the 7:01 mark.

Mount Mercy used another run, this time a 10-0 run that allowed them to pull away from Benedictine and secure the 14-point win.

The Mustangs connected on 13 of 17 from the charity stripe in the second half, which offset their 0 for 7 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Benedictine was led by guard Chris McFaul (Sr., Phoenix) with 14 points. Guard Quaran Johnson (Sr., Philadelphia) and forward Jallen Messersmith (Fr., Blue Springs, Mo.) each scored 6 points.

Mount Mercy was led in scoring by Sam Kenyi with 16 points.

The Ravens take on Iowa Wesleyan University at 2 p.m. Saturday in their final game of the Bosch Financial Shootout.