(Peru, Neb.) – The visiting Baker University Wildcats put a halt to the Bobcats' four-game winning streak by holding on for a 76-70 win over Peru State Thursday night.
 
With the win, Baker improved its overall mark to 8-8 and is now 4-5 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Peru State fell to 9-7 and 6-3 in conference play.
 
First Half Action
 
It was a close game throughout both halves of the game as in the first half; neither team had a lead larger than six points.

 
Peru State jumped out to a five-point lead as Darwin Ellis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) hit a three-pointer on an assist from Jeff Neverson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) with just 12 seconds off the clock. At the 18:16 mark, Quantice Hunter (Chicago) hit a jumper after a turnover by Baker. The Wildcats would score a bucket and Peru State would come back and counter with a bucket by Riak Bol (Omaha).  Baker would come back to tie it at 7-7 and then the game would again be tied at 9-9, 12-12, 14-14, and 18-18, which would be at the 11:20 mark in the first half.
 
Corday Sims (Chicago) would complete an old-fashioned three-point play to break the tie with 10:27 remaining in the half. Peru State would maintain the lead until the Wildcats would tie it at 27-27 with 6:34 to go in the first 20 minutes. Baker would finish the half outscoring Peru State 11-9 and had a 38-36 going into the break.
 
Second Half Action
 
The second would see five ties and three lead changes. Several ties occurred early in the half at 40-40, 42-42, and 44-44. After the last tie, Baker would move out to a 53-46 lead with 11:19 left in the half. Jamar Cannon (Inglewood, Calif.) would hit a pair of free throws to cut into the deficit and Hunter and Sims would each make one of two free throws to make it 53-50 Baker with just over ten minutes to go in the game.

 
The Wildcats would then go out to their biggest lead of the game at 59-50 before Peru State would fight back into the contest. Bol would hit a bucket on an assist from Ellis to start the comeback. Hunter would make a pair of free throws and then Ellis drained a trey coming on an assist from Hunter. Suddenly, it was 59-57 Baker with 6:38 left in the game. A basket by the Wildcats extended their lead back to four, but Hunter hit one from long range on an assist from Sims and it was now 61-60 Baker at the 6:03 mark. Neverson would tie it by making the first of two free throws with 5:01 left.
 
Baker would break the tie with a two-pointer only to see Sims tie it back up at 63-63. That would be the last tie of the game as the Wildcats would score on the next possession and Peru State never could tie it or regain the lead throughout the last four minutes of the contest.

BAKER GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
Baker shot the ball well from the floor but not as good at the charity stripe. The Wildcats made 26 of 57 field goals for 45.6% which included hitting 9 of 20 from long range for 45%. At the free throw line, Baker hit 15 of 26 for 57.7%.
 
The Bobcats struggled shooting-wise from the floor as they made just 22 of 59 attempts for 37.3% and had an off night from behind the arc as they made just 4 of 22 for 16.7%. Peru State kept themselves in the game at the free throw line making 73.3% even though they missed key opportunities late to either tie or take the lead.
 
Peru State had a slight rebounding edge as they grabbed 40 rebounds compared to 34 for the Wildcats. Baker committed three fewer turnovers as they had 12 while Peru State committed 15. The Bobcats did swat away nine field goal tries of Baker's. The Wildcats had ten steals with Peru State just having seven.
 
Individual Statistics
 

Four Bobcats finished in double figures with Sims leading the way with a game-high 17 points. Ellis added 13 while Hunter adding 12. Bol contributed another ten points.
 
Sims also led the team with ten rebounds so he finished the contest with a double-double. Bol, Hunter, Rich Shepherd (Greenville, N.C.), and Kris Frazier (Cleveland) each added six rebounds.
 
Ellis dished out two assists while Sims and Hunter each had two steals. Bol and Frazier each blocked three shots with Josh Varney (Cape Coral, Fla.) having two and Shepherd one.
 
Upcoming Games
 
Peru State will head to Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday to take on Avila University at 4 p.m. Currently, the Eagles are 11-5 overall and are just one-half of a game behind the 'Cats in the Heart standings with a 5-4 mark. They lost at home Thursday night to Graceland.
 
On Wednesday, Jan. 20, the Bobcats will be at home hosting Grand View University at 7:30 p.m. The Vikings have dropped a pair of games in a row and are 8-8 on the year and 2-7 in the Heart.