(Peru, Neb.) – The visiting Culver-Stockton College men's basketball team jumped to an early double-digit lead and held the lead throughout the entire game en route to a 97-83 win over Peru State on Saturday.
The 13
th-ranked Wildcats are now 14-3 overall and 5-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) as they won their fourth game in a row. The Bobcats fell to 2-5 in conference play and 6-10 overall having lost their third straight contest.
Game Action
The Wildcats scored off the opening tip to go up 2-0.
Nate Bohy (Mesa, Ariz.) countered with a trey at the 19:20 mark to give Peru State its only lead of the game at 3-2. A 7-0 Culver-Stockton run put the score at 9-3 before
Grant Leslie (Auburn) hit a bucket on an assist from
Kody Kirkpatrick (Loami, Ill.) to cut the deficit to 9-5 with 17:14 left in the first half.
Another Culver-Stockton score was countered again by Leslie keeping Peru State within four at 11-7, but the Wildcats countered with a 6-0 to gain their first double-digit lead at 17-7 with 16:09 to go in the first stanza.
At the 8:24 mark, the Wildcats led by 16 at 33-17. Later, at the 5:37 point in the first 20 minutes, Bohy hit a bucket off a turnover to get the 'Cats back within ten at 37-27.
After the end of the first 20 minutes, Culver-Stockton led 53-37 as they finished the half on a 16-10 run.
Peru State tried on several occasions in the second half to get the score in single digits, but never was able to do so as they were as close as 11 on five different occasions.
Culver-Stockton led by as many as 21 in the second stanza, but the Bobcats whittled away to get within 14 at the end of the game at 97-83.
Team Statistics
Both teams shot the ball reasonably well as the Wildcats made 36 of 64 for 56.3% while Peru State was 28 of 61 for 45.9%. Both teams were better from behind the arc as Culver-Stockton made 7 of 11 for 63.6% while the Bobcats hit 4 of 6 for 66.7%. At the charity stripe, the Wildcats made 18 of 21 for 85.7%. The Bobcat made more trips to the line, making 23 of 33 for 69.7%.
The Wildcats out-rebounded Peru State 32 to 24. Culver-Stockton did commit three more turnovers, 15, compared to the Bobcats' 12. Peru State blocked three shots while the Wildcats were credited with one.
Individual Statistics
Three Bobcats finished in double figures in the loss. Bohy finished with 26 on 10 of 19 shooting. Kirkpatrick added 20 points and
Jarvis Green-Smoot (Norfolk) added ten points.
Taylor Christensen (Phoenix) led Peru State with a game-high seven rebounds. Christensen also added seven points and had a game-high two blocked shots.
Bohy and Kirkpatrick were each credited with two assists while
Brett Pierce (St. Joseph, Mo.), Jesse Jones (Edmond, Okla.), and James Pierce
(Omaha) each had two steals.
CULVER-STOCKTON BOX SCORE
Upcoming Games
The Bobcats will have three games this week and will start with a home, non-conference contest against AIB College of Business from Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday night at 7 p.m. This is a make-up game due to the extremely cold weather on Jan. 6. Presently, the Eagles are winless on the season at 0-19.
Peru State will be back in conference play on Thursday as they host the visiting Baker University Wildcats at approximately 7:30 p.m. Currently, Baker and Peru State are tied for eighth in HAAC play with 2-5 marks. Overall, Baker is 8-10 and is on a four-game losing streak.
On Saturday, Jan. 25, the Bobcats will head to Fayette, Mo., to face the Eagles of Central Methodist University. Game time with the 9-9 Eagles who are 2-4 in the conference is approximately 4 p.m.
