Men's Basketball Falls at Grand View in Heart Postseason Quarterfinals

Des Moines, Iowa, (Feb. 24, 2026)- The No. 6 seed Missouri Valley College men's basketball team traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, to play No. 3 seed Grand View (Iowa) in the quarterfinal round of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Postseason Championship, Tuesday evening.  Missouri Valley tried to rally late, but fell by a final score of 65-60.

Scoring in the game for Missouri Valley started with five points from Junior Kamari Slaughter (Gary, Ind.) to help the team go in front, 5-3, with two minutes played.  The two teams continued to trade baskets, as Junior Cael Simpson (Gold Coast, Australia) added a layup, and Senior Antwon Ferrell (Newman, Ga.) sank a three-pointer to keep MVC on top, 10-9, just past the 15-minute mark.  Missouri Valley went scoreless over the next three minutes of play, and Grand View moved ahead, 14-10.  Junior Devin Davenport (Milwaukee, Wisc.) ended the MVC drought with a layup and Sophomore Darrin Thompson (Huntsville, Ala.) added a three-point basket midway through the half to give Missouri Valley a 15-14 lead.  Davenport added a pair of free throws and Freshman Damario Moss (Lexington, Mo.) put in a layup as the advantage sat at 19-16 with less than nine minutes to play in the half.  Missouri Valley again went scoreless through a stretch of play, as Grand View went on an 8-0 run to take a 24-19 lead near the four-minute mark.  Slaughter cut into the deficit with a layup, then Ferrel came up with a steal and fast-break basket to put the gap at 24-23 with just over three minutes remaining.  Grand View ended the half scoring the final six points, and MVC went into halftime trailing, 32-25.

Grand View added to its lead at the start of the second half, and made it a 38-27 score with just over two minutes played after the restart.  The two teams traded points over a stretch of play in the second half.  Davenport scored four-straight points for Missouri Valley, while Slaughter came down with an offensive rebound and added a layup to put the deficit at 44-35 with just over five minutes off the clock.  Missouri Valley began to chip away at its deficit midway through the half.  Trailing by a 51-39 score, Ferrell made a three-pointer, while Slaughter added a three-point play on the next possession.  Slaughter then added a pair of layups, and MVC sat in a 53-49 deficit near the nine-minute mark.  The next field goal for Missouri Valley came four minutes later, on another Slaughter layup, then Thompson added a basket to make it a 56-53 score with five minutes to play in the game.  Grand View stretched its lead out to 60-53 over the next minute, while a pair of free throws from both Ferrell and Moss, and one made free throw by Slaughter brought Missouri Valley into a 60-58 deficit under the two-minute mark.  Slaughter made it a 62-60 gap moments later, but GVU added a basket on its next possession.  Missouri Valley came up empty on its final four possessions, and Grand View held on to its lead.  Missouri Valley fell by a final score of 65-60.

Slaughter led with a double-double of 25 points and a season-high 16 rebounds.  Ferrell added 12 points.  Missouri Valley held a 39-29 advantage in rebounds.

Missouri Valley finishes its season with an overall record of 18-11.  The 18-win season is the most for the program since winning 22 games in the 2014-15 campaign.  Grand View improves to 20-8 and advances to the semifinal round. 

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About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.