(Peru, Neb.) – After leading by just five at halftime, the Baker University Wildcat women's basketball team continued their torrid shooting on their way to a 102-68 victory over Peru State on Thursday night. Baker shot 63.3% in the second half while holding the Bobcats to 28.6% and outscored Peru State 56-27 to cruise to their 14
th win of the season.
The 20
th-ranked Baker team is 14-5 overall and 7-1 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC), just one game back of the league-leading MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers. Peru State is tied for eighth in the HAAC with a 2-6 mark and is 4-14 on the season.
Game Action
The first eight minutes of the game was close as there were three ties and four lead changes before the Wildcats took a 19-18 lead at the 11:23 mark of the first half. It was a lead Baker would not relinquish.
The Wildcats would go on a 10-0 run at that point to lead 29-18 before Peru State cut the lead to seven as
Brittany Peterson (Orem, Utah) hit a bucket in the paint on an assist from
Karlee Stuart (Las Animas, Colo.). Rachel Blair followed Peterson's hoop with a trey to make it 29-23 with 8:22 left in the first 20 minutes.
Baker responded with a 6-0 run to increase their lead to 15, the largest of the half, which they matched at 40-25 with 4:47 to go in the first stanza.
Peru State would cut it to three at 44-41 on a Peterson free throw before Baker would score right at the buzzer for the five-point, 46-41 halftime lead.
After the first four minutes in the second half, Peru State was still within single digits of the lead at 55-47. The Wildcats then went on an 11-2 run to go up 66-49 with 13:40 left in the game.
Baker would continue its hot hand the rest of the half and cruised to the 102-68 win.
Team Statistics
The Wildcats made 36 of 56 field goal tries for 64.3% for the game, including going 7 of 15 from three-point range for 46.7%. At the free throw line, Baker was 23 of 34 for 67.6%.
Peru State hit 20 of 58 field goal attempts for 34.5%, but was definitely cooler from behind the arc, coming off their record-setting performance. The Bobcats made just 5 of 15 for 33.3% from long range. At the charity stripe, Peru State was 23 of 35 for 65.7%.
Baker held a rebounding lead at 32-26 and both teams committed 22 turnovers. The Wildcats were credited with two blocked shots.
A big difference in the game was that the Wildcats were able to score 33 points off of Peru State turnovers while the Bobcats managed only nine points off an equal amount of turnovers.
Individual Statistics
Four Bobcats finished in double figures and were led by
Shelbie Hess (Phoenix) who scored 14, with nine of the points coming from the free throw line. Peterson and
Jasmine Tate (Fayetteville, N.C.) each had 11 points while
Rachel Blair (Hubbard) added ten.
Stuart and Peterson each had six rebounds for Peru State. Tate dished out two assists while Peterson was credited with two steals.
BAKER BOX SCORE
Upcoming Games
Peru State's next two games will be on the road. On Saturday, the Bobcats will be traveling to Fayette, Mo., to play the Central Methodist University Eagles at 2 p.m. Presently, the Eagles are 13-4 overall and 4-3 in the HAAC. Central Methodist is currently receiving votes in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
Next Thursday, the Bobcats will face another HAAC foe who is receiving votes in the coaches' poll. Peru State will be facing the Benedictine College Ravens in Atchison, Kan. Game time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
