(Peru, Neb.) – The Peru State Bobcat women's basketball team played three games in three days to start 2014. After getting back late from an overtime loss at the hands of the Avila University Eagles on Jan. 2, the 'Cats headed out on Jan. 3 at 8:45 a.m. to participate in the Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) Classic.
On Friday, Peru State faced Bethany College and despite being out-shot from the field and at the free throw line, the Bobcats won 83-75. Facing the tourney hosts on Friday, despite a good effort, the 'Cats fell to Kansas Wesleyan University 69-53. The 53 points were the lowest amount scored during the 2013-14 season.
With the 1-1 mark in the tournament, Peru State is now 3-10 on the season.
Bethany Game Action
After Bethany hit the first bucket of the game,
Sydney Wilkinson (St. Joseph, Mo.), playing in just her second game of the season, hit a short jumper in the paint to tie it at 2-2 with 17:09 left in the first half.
Another bucket by the Swedes allowed Bethany to regain the lead, but
Karlee Stuart (Las Animas, Colo.) hit a three-pointer at the 16:23 mark and Peru State never trailed after that point. The teams would battle back and forth throughout the first half with Peru State's largest lead coming with 6:37 remaining in the first 20 minutes as
Brianna Madrid (Mesa, Ariz.) hit one of two free throws, making it 26-17 Bobcats.
The Swedes would cut it to just a three-point deficit at halftime, trailing 37-34.
Peru State rattled off the first six points of the second half as Stuart hit a bucket in the paint on an assist from Wilkinson. Then Wilkinson hit a shot in the paint and it was followed by another shot in the paint, this time by
Shelbie Hess (Phoenix). With 17:55 left in the game, the 'Cats led 43-34.
Bethany would not give in and went on a 5-0 run to trail 43-39 at the 16:07 mark.
The Bobcats would eventually stretch their lead to ten at 51-41 after
Tai'ler Warren (Omaha) stole the ball and took it the length of the court to put it in with 12:36 to go.
Again, the Swedes would respond and had an 11-2 run to get back within one at 53-52 with 9:18 remaining. The teams would trade several buckets with Bethany still within one at 58-57 with 7:34 left before Wilkinson nailed a three-pointer with 6:39 on the clock.
The 'Cats would stretch their lead to ten again at 70-60 as Stuart drove to the hoop, hitting her bucket while being fouled with 2:32 left in the game. Peru State had its largest lead of the game after
Sydney Young (Omaha) hit a shot in the paint with 1:40 on the clock, giving the Bobcats a 74-63 advantage.
At the final horn, Peru State captured its third win of the season winning 83-75.
Bethany Game Team Statistics
The Swedes had the upper hand in terms of shooting percentages, but Peru State won the game at the free throw line. The Bobcats made 40 trips to the free throw line and made 26 for 65%, one of their better percentages of the year. Bethany only went to the line 19 times, but hit 13 for 68.4%.
From the field, Bethany was 27 of 58 for 46.6% while Peru State was 26 of 64 for 40.6%. The Swedes made 8 of 19 three-point attempts for 42.1% while the 'Cats made 5 of 16 for 31.3%.
Bethany also out-rebounded Peru State 48 to 38, but the Bobcats forced the Swedes to commit 29 turnovers while the 'Cats had 19 miscues.
Bethany Game Individual Statistics
Peru State had three players in double figures and was led by Hess's game-high 30 points. This was a career-high effort for Hess as she made 8 of 15 from the floor and hit 12 of 14 free throws. Stuart finished with 15 points while Young added 14.
Hess led all rebounders as she grabbed 12 boards, giving her a double double for the game. Stuart also finished with a double double as she grabbed ten caroms.
Hess, Wilkinson, and
Jasmine Tate (Fayetteville, N.C.) each dished out three assists. Hess and Wilkinson also shared game-high honors with four steals while Tate nabbed three.
BETHANY BOX SCORE
Kansas Wesleyan Game Action
After being tied at 4-4 with 18:48 left in the first half, baskets by Wilkinson, Tate, and Madrid put the Bobcats up 10-4 with 17:08 remaining. The Coyotes hit a trey and a bucket to cut it to 10-9 before Tate hit another bucket in the paint, making it 12-9 at the 14:17 mark.
Three consecutive buckets by KWU gave the Coyotes a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the first half as they led by as many as 11 at 28-17 with 3:44 left in the half. After a scoring drought by both teams, Young and Warren hit back-to-back hoops getting Peru State back within seven at 28-21 with 46 seconds to go in the half.
The Coyotes would add three points to their lead at halftime as they went into the locker room leading 31-21.
KWU would score the first basket of the second half before the Bobcats slowly and methodically cut into the lead. A trey by Hess pulled Peru State within six at 37-31 with 16:21 to go in the game, but the Coyotes countered with a pair of free throws to extend their lead back to eight.
Then, the 'Cats went on an 8-0 run with baskets by Stuart, Tate, and two by Wilkinson to tie the game at 39-39 with 12:14 remaining. KWU hit a bucket to regain the lead by Young responded with a two-pointer to tie it again at 41-41 with 11:20 to go.
Unfortunately for Peru State, KWU responded with a 9-0 run before Tate stopped the run with a bucket in the paint, making it 50-43 at the 9:15 mark. A 16-3 run by the Coyotes pretty much put the game out of reach for Peru State as KWU led 62-46 with 5:35 left.
The Bobcats did get back within ten at 63-53 as
Rachel Blair (Hubbard) hit a trey from the corner with 1:40 left, but KWU finished the game with a 6-0 run to win 69-53.
KWU Game Team Statistics
Again, poor field goal shooting stymied the Bobcats as they finished hitting 21 of 73 attempts for 28.8%, which included hitting just 3 of 17 from behind the arc for 17.6%.
The biggest difference in the game came at the free throw line as Peru State was at the line less than the number of free throws that KWU made. The Bobcats made 8 of 16 tries for 50% while the Coyotes made 23 of 37 for 62.2%.
From the field, KWU made 22 of 54 field goal tries for 40.7%, but were cold from three-point range, making just 2 of 15 for 13.3%.
Peru State did out-rebound KWU 49 to 45. The teams were pretty even in turnovers as the Bobcats committed 18 compared to the Coyotes' 16. Both teams were swatting away each other's shots as KWU blocked 9 attempts while the 'Cats had 6 blocks.
KWU Game Individual Statistics
Hess was the only Bobcat scoring in double figures as she finished the game with 16 points. Tate added nine while Wilkinson added eight.
Madrid grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds while Hess and Stuart finished with eight and seven respectively. Wilkinson dished out two assists and also led the team with three steals. Hess and Tate also had two steals apiece.
Madrid was credited with three blocked shots while Stuart and Warren had two and one blocks respectively.
KWU BOX SCORE
Upcoming Games
With the exception of one game in February, the remaining portion of Peru State's schedule will be against conference opponents.
On Thursday, the Bobcats host Graceland University at 5:30 p.m. Currently, the YellowJackets are 5-5 overall and 1-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC).
Then, on Saturday, Peru State travels to Marshall, Mo., to face Missouri Valley College at 2 p.m. Presently, the Vikings are 8-6 overall and 1-2 in the HAAC.
