(Peru, Neb.) – A foul by Peru State with one second left on the game clock resulted in a pair of free throws made giving Central Methodist University (CMU) an 82-81 victory in Fayette, Mo., on Saturday.
With the win, CMU improved to 19-11 overall and 9-9 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference which placed them solely in seventh place in the Heart.
Corday Sims goes for two of his 24
team-high pointsPeru State's loss dropped the Bobcats to 17-12 on the season and 10-8 in conference play. The 'Cats finished is a three-way tie for fourth in the Heart. With the tiebreaker being utilized, the Bobcats fell to the fifth seed and will be on the road for their quarterfinal game against Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo. The game is scheduled for Thursday, March 5, at 7 p.m.
Game Action Similar to the women's game, the contest was close throughout the first 11 minutes with the game tied at 17-17 with 9:28 left in the first twenty minutes.
The Eagles would go on a 19 to 8 run to lead by 11 at 36-25 with just over three minutes remaining in the first stanza.
A three-point bucket by
Jarrell Williams (Omaha) off an assist from
Jeff Neverson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) stopped the run. A basket by
Corday Sims (Chicago) then made it 36-30 before Williams made one of two free throws to cut the lead to five.
At intermission, the Eagles led 41-35.
The second half, too, was close all the way with CMU having its largest lead at 61-53 with 9:39 left in the game. Peru State would battle back to a 71-71 tie after Sims made one of two free throws with 4:24 remaining.
The contest would be later tied at 76-76 and 79-79 with 24 seconds left. The Eagles would take the lead after converting the second of two free throws with 24 seconds left.
Peru State would get a shot with nine seconds left which was long, but
Phillip Jackson (Chicago) grabbed the offensive rebound and put it back it to give the 'Cats an 81-80 lead.
CMU would take a shot and miss with four seconds left, but the Eagles eventually snagged the offensive rebound. The Eagles would put the shot up with less than a second left on the clock and were fouled. A pair of made free throws later gave CMU the 82-81 win.
Jamar Cannon gets two of his
17 points for Peru State Team Statistics CMU shot the ball slightly better than Peru State in the contest. The Eagles made 31 of 64 field goals for 48.4% which included making 7 of 20 three-point attempts for 35%. From the charity stripe, CMU made 13 of 17 for 76.5%.
The Bobcats made 34 of 74 field goals for 45.9% and were just 4 of 17 from long range for 23.5%. At the free throw line, the 'Cats were 9 of 14 for 64.3%.
Peru State had a slight advantage in rebounding as they grabbed 41 rebounds compared to CMU's 36. The Bobcats had fewer turnovers than CMU as the 'Cats committed 11 while the Eagles had 14.
Individual Statistics Three Bobcats finished in double figures and were led by Sims with 24 points. Cannon added 17 while Jackson finished with ten.
Jackson just missed a double-double as he grabbed a game-high nine boards. Sims added seven rebounds.
Phillip Jackson grabbed nine rebounds
in the loss to CMUSims dished out four assists with Plain adding three. Cannon had a game-high three steals with Neverson nabbing two. Jackson blocked two shots with Sims adding another.
CMU GAME BOOK Upcoming Game(s) As Culver-Stockton had swept the season series with the Bobcats, the Wildcats will play host to Peru State on Thursday night at 7 p.m. in Canton, Mo.
Should the Bobcats win, they would travel most likely to Springfield, Mo., on Saturday, March 7, to face the number one seed Evangel University Crusaders. The Crusaders wrapped up the regular-season title with a 13-5 conference mark and are 18-11 overall. Game time would be 7 p.m.
All Heart of America Athletic Conference post-season games are held at the higher seed of the pairing.
