A 14-2 run by the Avila University (AU) Eagles at the end of the first half doomed the Bobcats of Peru State College (PSC).
After leading 26-22 with just over three minutes left in the half, the Bobcats could not stop the 14-2 run, and trailed at the half, 36-28. The 'Cats could not overcome that deficit in the second half, despite a valiant effort.
Avila eventually won 79-70, despite the Bobcats getting back within three at 73-70 with 1:10 left in the game.
With the win, the Eagles remain in a first-place tie with MidAmerica Nazarene on top of the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) standings at 13-3. Overall, the Eagles are 19-8, and have won three in a row.
With the loss, the Bobcats fell to 4-24 overall and 4-12 in the HAAC, which ties them for ninth in the conference race. With two games remaining, the 'Cats will need to win both in order to have an opportunity to make it to the HAAC post-season.
) grabbed an offensive rebound and put it in making it 5-2 with 16:32 left in the first half.
Avila made one of two free throws, had the ball back with the offensive rebound before Ward stole the ball, and got it ahead to Katie Potter
(Omaha) who laid it in for two. This cut the deficit to 6-4 at the 15:14 mark.
The Eagles got another bucket, but Potter came right down the court and matched it making it 8-6. A trey by Avila followed putting AU up 11-6. On the Bobcats' next possession,
Karlee Stuart (Las Animas, Colo.) got a bucket in the paint making it 11-8. After a another steal by Ward, Tai'ler Warren
(Omaha) got her first two points of the game as PSC only trailed 11-10 with 12:22 left in the first half.
Following a PSC timeout,
Natasha Moss (Indianapolis) drained a three to give PSC its first lead of the day at 13-11. Moss then grabbed a defensive rebound and Potter hit a bucket giving the 'Cats a four-point cushion at 15-11. Off another Eagle turnover, Warren hit a jumper putting Peru State up by six at 17-11 with just under ten minutes to go in the first stanza.
The Eagles came back with a 5-0 run getting back within one at 17-16.
Jasmine Lockwood (Sunrise, Fla.) stopped the Avila run with a jumper putting PSC up 19-16. After a defensive rebound by Ward, Potter drained a trey putting the 'Cats up 22-16, matching the Bobcats' largest lead of the game. The Eagles quickly countered with a bucket and still trailed 22-18 at that point.
A trey by Sydney Young
(Omaha) gave PSC a 25-18 lead with 6:02 left in the half, forcing Avila to take a timeout. The Eagles came back with a 4-0 run cutting PSC's lead to four at 25-22. Potter made the second of two free throws to stop the Avila run putting the Bobcats up 26-22.
An Avila trey cut it to 26-25 with 3:12 remaining in the stanza. Following a Bobcat miscue, the Eagles came back with an old-fashioned three-point play regaining the lead at 28-26 with just over two minutes to go. A 6-0 run gave Avila their largest lead of the game at 34-26 with under a minute left in the half. Ward stopped the Eagle run, but the Eagles hit a bucket as the horn sounded giving them a 36-28 lead at the half.
Avila started with second half with a 4-0 run putting them up 40-28 before Ward hit a bucket to get PSC back within ten at 40-30. Another Ward bucket made it a single-digit lead at 40-32 with just over 17 minutes to go in the game. The Eagles stopped the 4-0 Bobcat run with a hoop and went back up by ten.
An Eagle trey gave Avila their largest lead at 45-32. Ward was fouled on the next PSC possession and hit both making it 45-34 at the 15:24 mark. Lockwood hit a bucket getting the 'Cats back within nine at 45-36, but Avila came back with a quick two. Stuart matched another Eagle bucket and Avila still led 49-38 with 14:09 left.
Lockwood grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on her shot attempt. Lockwood made one, again getting PSC back within ten at 49-39. On the inbound pass, Amelia Allington
(Ashland) stole the ball and went to the hoop for two, cutting the deficit to eight at 49-41.
Following an Eagle timeout, Avila hit a trey, making it 52-41 at the 12:04 point. The next time down the court, with one second left on the shot clock, Allington, on the assist from Young, drained a three, drawing PSC back within eight at 52-44 with 11:32 to go.
Avila put together a 6-0 run to stretch their lead to 58-44. Allington was able to make one of two free throws after being fouled making it 58-45 with 9:12 left.
An old-fashioned three by Avila put them up by 16 at 61-45. Ward grabbed a Bobcat missed shot and put it back in for two making it 61-47. Following two Eagle free throws, Ward grabbed another offensive rebound, put it up and in and was fouled. Ward completed the old-fashioned three-point play getting PSC back within 13 at 63-50 with 7:25 remaining in the game.
Two free throws by the Eagles, then on the assist by Potter, Ward hit a hoop. On the next possession, Ward grabbed another offensive rebound and put it in. At the Eagle end of the court, Ward blocked a shot and the 'Cats brought it down the court. Ward then hit another one on the assist from Lockwood, cutting it to 66-56.
Ward matched a bucket by Avila again after she had grabbed another offensive rebound keeping it at a ten-point deficit at 68-58. Lockwood was good for two at the free throw line getting PSC back within eight at 68-60 with 4:38 to go.
Following an Avila miss, Tate drove the lane, was fouled, and hit both free throws making it 68-62. The Eagles countered with a bucket giving Avila a 70-62 lead at the 3:43 mark.
Following an Eagle free throw, Ward matched her career-high of 25 points with a hoop. Avila scored on their next possession, but Potter came down and put in a trey making it 73-67 with 76 ticks left on the clock.
The Bobcats immediately called a timeout to try to set up a defensive scheme. It worked as Potter stole the ball, took it to the hoop, scored, was fouled, and made the free throw. At that point it was 73-70 with 1:10 left.
A Peru State foul led to two made free throws giving the Eagles a five-point cushion at 75-70 with 54 seconds left. The Bobcats were forced to take a timeout as Potter was tied up in the corner. Out of the timeout, a Bobcat miss was fought for and it was tied up. On the alternate possession, Avila had the ball. The Eagles threw a long pass down the court and eventually were fouled. Avila made both and they went back up by seven at 77-70. After a Bobcat miss, Avila made one of two free throws to extend their lead to eight. One more free throw would be added by Avila making the final score 79-70.
Team Statistics
The Eagles hit 45% of their field goal attempts making 27 of 60, including eight of 24 from behind the arc for 33.3%. At the charity stripe, Avila made 17 of 26 for 65.4%.
Peru State converted on 27 of 74 field goal tries for 36.5%. From behind the arc, the 'Cats were five of 18 for 27.8%. The Bobcats did have one of their better days at the line canning 11 of 14 for 78.6%.
The Bobcats did out-rebound Avila grabbing 46 boards compared to 35 for the Eagles. Avila committed 19 turnovers in the game while Peru had 13 miscues.
GAME BOX SCORE
Individual Statistics
Ward led all scorers with 25 points on 11 of 15 shooting and a perfect three for three at the free-throw line. In addition, Ward was game's leading rebounder with 19. Both of these performances matched her season-highs.
With the 25 points, Ward has now scored 1,008 points. While this does not put her in the top ten career scoring, she only trails Tamir Anderson by 38 points as Anderson finished her career with 1,046. However, Ward's 284 rebounds on the season has moved her into fourth in the top ten career category with 842 total so far in her career. Ward moved past Hall of Famer Kristi (Olberding) George who had 808 caroms.
Potter was the only other Bobcat in double figures as she finished with 16 points. Potter added five rebounds and two assists.
Upcoming Games
Next Thursday, Feb. 23, the Bobcats will be playing their final home game of the season. They will be hosting the Graceland University YellowJackets with the game time scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Candace Simmons
(Sargent), the lone Bobcat senior, will be recognized prior to the game.
Saturday, Feb. 25, Peru State will be travelling to Springfield, Mo., to take on the Evangel University Crusaders. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The Bobcats defeated Graceland 80-50 four weeks ago and followed it up with a win over Evangel 61-59 on the following Saturday, their first two wins of the season. Both games are must wins for the 'Cats in order to have any hope for post-season play.
