Every basketball coach stresses the importance of making free throws to their team, probably every day at practice. Sometimes you make them, sometimes you do not. The Peru State Bobcat women's basketball only hit 36% of their free throws in a nine-point loss on Saturday at the hands of the Missouri Valley College Vikings.
Had Peru State potentially hit the same percentage as the Vikings did, the 'Cats might have come home with a victory. Missouri Valley won the contest 82-73 and improved to 10-7 overall and 2-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Contest (HAAC). The loss drops Peru State to 3-12 overall and 1-4 in the HAAC.
After the Vikings hit the first bucket of the game,
Sydney Young (Omaha) nailed a trey on the assist from
Jasmine Tate (Fayetteville, N.C.) to give Peru State its first lead at 3-2 with 17:57 left in the first 20 minutes. Another Mo Valley two-pointer was followed by another Young bucket, putting the 'Cats on top 5-4.
Mo Valley went on an 8-0 run before
Shelbie Hess (Phoenix) hit a bucket cutting the lead to 12-7 with 10:53 left in the half. The Vikings stretched their lead to seven at 21-14 with 7:51 remaining in the first half. Peru State would eventually tie the game at 27-27 with 2:44 to go when
Karlee Stuart (Las Animas, Colo.) hit a bucket after she had grabbed an offensive rebound.
Later, at the 2:17 mark,
Sydney Wilkinson (St. Joseph, Mo.) hit a free throw to put the Bobcats on top at 28-27. But that was short-lived as the Vikings would outscore Peru State 11 to 6 to end the half with a five-point advantage at 38-33.
The Vikings would increase their lead to eight at 43-35 at the 17:36 mark of the second half before Peru State went on one of their second-half runs to regain the lead, but only to lose it again. After
Brianna Madrid (Glendale, Ariz.) hit a bucket in the paint on an assist from Hess to cut it to one at 43-42 with 15:55 left in the game, Stuart gave the 'Cats the lead at 44-43 hitting a field goal one minute later.
The teams would later be tied to 50-50 and 52-52 before the Vikings took the lead for good as they went on a 9-0 run. A Hess free throw with 8:06 left in the game stopped the run at 61-53. After the teams traded treys, Wilkinson hit a free throw, followed by back-to-back treys by Hess making it a one-point game at 64-63 with 5:37 to go.
Missouri Valley would stretch their lead to nine again at 74-65 with 2:31 left and that lead proved to be too much for the 'Cats. Peru State would get back within four at 77-73 as Hess hit another three with 49 ticks left on the clock, but the Vikings would add five more points to their total as the Bobcats were forced to foul.
Team Statistics
Despite out-shooting the Vikings from the floor, Peru State's struggled at the free throw line costing them the game. The 'Cats hit 27 of 62 from the floor for 43.5% while the Vikings made 26 of 70 for 37.1%. Both teams shot well from behind the arc as the Bobcats hit 10 of 25 for 40% while Mo Valley made 5 of 15 for 33.3%.
The difference in the game was at the free throw line as Missouri Valley made 25 of 37 for 67.6%, including hitting the front ends of one and ones. Peru State hit just 9 of 25 for 36%.
The Vikings held the edge in rebounding 52 to 41 and also had fewer turnovers as Mo Valley committed 11 while Peru State had 18. Both teams blocked two shots.
Individual Statistics
All seven Bobcats playing in the game scored and were led by Hess who finished with a game-high 24 points on 8 of 16 shooting, including 5 of 9 from behind the arc. Young added 14 points while Stuart finished with 12.
Stuart had a double double as she had a team-high 13 rebounds while
Leslie Kirkland (Rock Port, Mo.) and Hess each added six. Wilkinson dished out four assists with Hess and Tate each adding three. Stuart and Tate were each credited with one block. Young and Hess each had two steals.
MO VALLEY BOX SCORE
Upcoming Games
A pair of conference games is on Peru State's schedule for next week.
On Thursday, the 'Cats will travel to Olathe, Kan., to face the MidAmerica Nazarene University Crusaders at 5:30 p.m. Currently, the Crusaders are 13-1 overall and have a perfect 5-0 mark in the HAAC.
Saturday, the Wildcats of Culver-Stockton College will travel to Peru State to face the Bobcats in a contest beginning at 2 p.m. Presently, the Wildcats are 3-10 overall and are 0-5 in the HAAC. The double header on Saturday will be a "BLUE OUT" sponsored by the Residence Hall Association, Campus Activities Board, and the Student Athlete Advisory Council. Prizes will be awarded to the best-dressed Bobcat fans.
