(Peru, Neb.) – It was a tale of two different halves.  The Peru State College (PSC) Bobcat women's basketball team won the first half.  However, the Central Methodist University (CMU) Eagles won the second half more decisively and captured a 74-59 win over the visiting Bobcats.
 
With the win, CMU evened its season record at 10-10 and improved to 7-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC), good for a third-place tie in the conference race.  With the loss, PSC dropped to 2-9 in the HAAC and 2-21 overall.
 
Game Action
 
The Eagles hit two three-pointers to open the game taking a 6-0 advantage.  On an offensive rebound, Courtney Ward (Bartlesville, Okla.) put the first PSC points on the board to cut it to a 6-2 deficit.
 
Another bucket by CMU made it 8-2 before back-to-back threes by Katie Potter (Omaha) and Karlee Stuart (McClave, Colo.) tied the game at 8-8. 
 
After the teams traded buckets, Ward put in a bucket to make it 12-10, the first Bobcat lead of the game.  Stuart added another bucket giving PSC a four-point advantage, but the Eagles quickly responded with a hoop cutting it to 14-12.
 
CMU knotted it at 14-14, but another bucket by Stuart and a trey by Sydney Young (Omaha) made it 19-14, the largest PSC lead in the first half.  The Eagles came back with a bucket and a three of their own to tie it at 19 each. 
 
After several trips down the court with no avail for either team, Jasmine Tate (Fayetteville, N.C.) got a bucket off a rebound.  The Eagles countered and then Jasmine Lockwood (Sunrise, Fla.) put PSC back on top at 23-21, but CMU came back to tie it at 23 all.
 
Potter came back with a trey giving PSC a three-point lead at 26-23.  Later, another basket by Lockwood put the 'Cats back up by 28-23.  An 8-2 Eagle gave CMU the lead at 31-30.  
 
An old-fashioned three-point play by Tate put the 'Cats back up at 33-31 with about a minute left in the half.  A free throw by CMU before the end of the half would make it 33-32 Bobcats at halftime.
 
In the second half, the Eagles came out hot and took the advantage before Amelia Allington (Ashland) cut it to 39-37 with a pair of free throws.  However, CMU came back and hit a trey giving them a five-point lead at 42-37 forcing PSC to take a time out.
 
Potter hit a bucket at the 14:10 mark to make it 42-39.  Another 4-0 run by the Eagles gave them their largest lead of the game at 46-39.   Ward made the second of two free throws to make it 46-40.
 
After an Eagle bucket, Young hit another three to cut it to 48-43.  Four Eagle free throws gave CMU its biggest lead at 52-43.  Following a Bobcat miss, the Eagles got a hoop to give CMU a double-digit lead at 54-43.  The Bobcats' scoring drought continued as CMU stretched its lead to 62-43 before Potter hit a three to get the Bobcats back on the board, down 16 at 62-46.
 
Potter tried to keep it close as she hit two more threes cutting it to 66-53.  An Eagle trey was followed by another Potter trey, tying her career-high of 22 points, making it 69-56.  Potter was single-handedly trying to keep the 'Cats in the game as the next time down the court for the Bobcats, she hit another trey making it 69-59, giving her 25 points on the night. 
 
A 5-0 CMU run closed out the game as the Eagles won 74-59.
 
Team Statistics
 
The free throw line was the difference in the ballgame as CMU made 41 trips to the charity stripe and made 28 for 68.3% while the 'Cats made only 12 trips to the line, hitting seven of their tries for 58.3%.  A 21-point differential at the free throw line is hard to overcome for any team.
 
The Eagles hit 36.4% of their field goals, making 20 of 55 shots, including six of 19 from behind the arc.   Peru State made 21 of 67 field goals for 31.3%, but was actually better from behind the three-point line as they hit ten of 26 for 38.5%.
 
CMU dominated the boards pulling down 56 caroms while the Bobcats managed only 35.  PSC committed only 15 turnovers while forcing 20 Eagle mistakes.

GAME BOX SCORE
 
Individual Statistics
 
Potter led all scorers with 25 points, a career-high.  Potter was nine of 20 from the floor, including making a remarkable seven of 12 treys.   All of these numbers were season highs as well.  Potter also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and had two steals and one assist.
 
Tate finished with eight points and five assists.  Stuart added seven points.
 
Upcoming Games
 
On Saturday, Feb. 4, the Bobcats will be hosting Culver-Stockton College with the game scheduled to start at 2 p.m.  The Wildcats won a close contest in Canton, Mo., over PSC 68-60, earlier in the first round of the conference play.  Gary's Tumbling of Shenandoah, Iowa, will be performing at halftime of both the women and men's games.  The Athletic Department will also be recognizing their business partners.
 
Thursday, Feb. 9, PSC will be travelling to Baldwin City, Kan., to take on Baker University at 5:30 p.m.  Then, on Saturday, Feb. 11, the Bobcats will be back at home hosting Missouri Valley College at 2 p.m.  The PSC Alumni Association will be hosting their annual chili feed during the Mo Valley game and the Athletic Department will be recognizing their fall athletes for their accomplishments.
 
All Bobcat games can be heard live on KNCY Radio 103.1 and home games can be viewed via Livestream.