WAVERLY, Iowa-- The Wartburg men's basketball team opened its 2013-14 campaign with a 79-75 win over Crown College Friday night.

The Knights will face Mount Mercy in the Championship game Saturday at 4 p.m.

Senior Thomas Perkins (Sun Valley, Nev.) had a team-best 17 points. Three fellow players joined him in double digits as classmate Eddie Diemer (Cedar Falls) had 15 and classmate Dan Van Groningen (Oak Forest, Ill.) and freshman Jordan Cannon (Bollingbrook, Ill.) each had 13 points.

Perkins' total included finishing 10-12 at the free throw line and Diemer was the team's leading rebounder with seven.

Wartburg led 45-33 at halftime and although the Storm outscored them in the second-half (41-33), it wasn't enough to take the game.

The Orange and Black's defense held Crown to a .321 three-point field goal percentage.