(Peru, Neb.) – It would have been a major upset in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC), as well, as in the NAIA Division I.  However, a Bobcat shot with just seconds left in the game fell short, allowing the tenth-ranked Evangel Crusaders to breathe a sigh of relief, as they captured their second HAAC regular-season title in the last two years.
 
With the win, Evangel improved to 15-2 in the conference and 22-5 overall, having won their last nine games in a row.  Peru State, with the loss, fell to 4-13 in the conference and 11-17 overall.  The 4-13 mark puts Peru State into a four-way tie for seventh in the HAAC.  At this point, it will be a must-win for all four teams going into Monday night's game with the victor between Peru State-Graceland and Avila-Missouri Valley, wrapping up the final two spots in the conference post-season tournament.
 
Game Action
 
The Bobcats got off to a decent start as Kody Kirkpatrick (Loami, Ill.) hit a three-pointer on an assist from Andre Wells (Colorado Springs, Colo.), who had grabbed an offensive rebound.  Evangel took their first lead at 7-5 with 14:59 left in the first half, before Kirkpatrick put in another bucket, knotting it at 7-7 with 13:54 remaining in the first 20 minutes.  A Nate Bohy (Mesa, Ariz.) hoop, on an assist from Justin Jones (Edmond, Okla.), put Peru State back up 9-7.
The teams battled back and forth through most of the first half and later were tied for the fourth time at 22-22 with 3:54 left in the half.  However, Evangel finished the half with a 10-2 run, taking a 32-24 lead into the halftime break.
 
Evangel led by as many as nine at 39-30 before the 'Cats went on an 8-0 run to get back within one with just over 11 minutes left in the game at 39-38 on a basket by Jones.  The Crusaders responded to go back on top 43-38 before Wells and Bohy hit buckets, again cutting it to one at 43-42 with 8:50 left in the game.
 
Once again, Evangel went back up, this time by seven at 50-43 with just under five minutes to go.  A Derrick Williams (St. Joseph, Mo.) bucket and then a Williams' free throw later made it 50-46, before a Crusader would hit one free throw, which would be the final Evangel point at the 3:20 mark.
 
A Bohy field goal cut it to 51-48 with 1:26 left in the game.  After Peru State grabbed a defensive rebound, the 'Cats called timeout to set up their next play with 1:08 remaining.  Williams would hit a bucket in the paint with 48 seconds left with the Bobcats still trailing 51-50.  
 
Peru State would get the ball back on an Evangel turnover, but the Bobcats attempt at the bucket missed with nine seconds left, forcing Peru State to foul.  The Evangel hoopster missed both free throws giving the 'Cats one last shot, but the final shot would not fall and the Crusaders grabbed the defensive rebound to seal the win.
Team Statistics
 
Neither team shot the ball particularly well as Peru State actually finished with a better field goal percentage than the Crusaders.  The Bobcats made 20 of 57 attempts from the floor for 35.1% while Evangel hit 18 of 55 of 32.7%.  Evangel was better from behind the arc making seven of 21 for 33.3%, compared to Peru State's five of 19 for 26.3%.  The margin for victory came at the free throw line, as the Crusaders were eight of 12 for 66.7% while Peru State was five of 11 for 45.5%.
 
The Bobcats grabbed one more rebound than Evangel, 34-33.  Both teams committed 19 turnovers.  Peru State did block eight shots in the game.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Williams and Bohy finished the game in double figures with 14 and 13 respectively.  Williams also had five steals and four rebounds while Bohy added seven rebounds and two assists.  Kirkpatrick added eight points and three rebounds.
 
Jacob Schaben (Defiance, Iowa) finished with a game-high eight rebounds and blocked two shots.  Richard Oppitz (Topeka, Kan.) swatted away four Crusader shot attempts.

EVANGEL BOX SCORE
 
Senior Day – Cheer and Men's BB
 
Five Bobcat senior cheerleaders were honored prior to the senior men.  They included Shelby Jones (Johnson), Katie Bornemeier (Beatrice), Sara Mencl (Beatrice), Hannah Reeves (Lincoln), and Tiffany Streator (Independence, Mo.).
 
Williams, Wells, Schaben, Oppitz, Peter Knudsen (Vanloese, Denmark), and Blake Steagall (Lake Tapawingo, Mo.), along with their parents, were recognized before the game.
Upcoming Games
 
Monday night's game for the Bobcats in Lamoni, Iowa, against the Graceland YellowJackets will determine both teams' post-season fates.  Whichever team wins will advance to post-season play on Thursday, Feb. 28, and would either play Evangel, Culver-Stockton College, or MidAmerica Nazarene University.
 
Game time for Monday's game is 5:30 p.m.  Thursday night's game time would be dependent on where Peru State would play.  Game time would be either 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. if the school is hosting both a women's and men's quarterfinal game.