(Peru, Neb.) – It was a game which had nine ties and 12 lead changes which obviously meant it was close throughout. In the end, the Peru State men's basketball team outscored Central Methodist University (CMU) on their home court 11 to 2 to win their third-straight win 85-80 on Saturday.
 
With the win, the 24^th-ranked Bobcats improved to 12-7 overall and 9-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Eagles fell to 10-10 overall and are now 4-8 in the Heart having lost six straight in conference action.

 
First Half Action
 
Jeff Neverson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) put the Bobcats on the scoreboard first only to see CMU tie it on their next possession. Quantice Hunter (Chicago) would get a bucket in the paint and Peru State was back in front at 4-2. With 18:12 left in the first half, the Eagles would tie it again and later would take their first lead of the game at 6-4. At the 16:53 mark, Corday Sims (Chicago) would make his first bucket of many in the game to have the third tie of the contest.
 
Darwin Ellis (Brooklyn) would drain a trey and the 'Cats were back on top 9-6. CMU would storm back and score the next six points and led 12-9 with 13:44 left in the first 20 minutes. Kris Frazier (Cleveland) would get a bucket off a fast break on an assist from Sims to cut the deficit to one at 12-11. After an Eagle turnover, Sims would hit a three-pointer and the Bobcats would go back on top at 14-12.
 
On the next possession, the Eagles would hit a bucket for the fourth tie of the game at 14-14. Later, the game would be tied again at 16-16, but it was after that point that CMU got hot and eventually had their largest lead of the game at 33-24 with just over five minutes left in the first 20 minutes.

 
Sims would start a run for the Bobcats with a trey on an assist from Ellis to make it 33-27. Josh Varney (Cape Coral, Fla.) would follow with a pair of free throws and then would dish an assist to Ellis who hit one from long range and suddenly the 'Cats were back within one at 33-32 with 3:20 left in the half. On Peru State's next possession, Hunter hit a bucket and the Bobcats were back on top at 34-33. Hunter would add to the Bobcats' lead with another bucket and with 2:28 left in the half, Peru State led 36-33.
 
CMU would get a trey to tie it at 36-36 on their next time down the court, but Neverson would hit a bucket in the paint on an assist from Varney to put Peru State back on top. The Eagles would tie it on their next possession at 38 apiece. The game would later be tied again at 42-42 before Jamar Cannon (Inglewood, Calif.) hit a trey at the buzzer on an assist from Ellis to give Peru State a 45-42 lead at halftime.
 
Second Half Action
 
Hunter would start the second half with a bucket to put the 'Cats up by five at 47-42. Eventually, after still down by one at 49-48 with 17:48 left in the game, CMU went on an 8-0 run to lead 56-49 with just under 15 minutes remaining in the contest.
 
The Eagles would stretch that lead to eight at 61-53 before Peru State would make another run. Rich Shepherd (Greenville, N.C.) hit a trey to start the run which was followed by four consecutive free throws by Sims and at that point, the 'Cats were down 61-60 at the 12:17 mark in the game.
 
Peru State would later regain the lead after Sims hit a bucket in the paint and then made another one in the paint on an assist from Shepherd. With 9:52 left, Peru State led 66-63. The Eagles were not done and came back to go up by three at 69-66 before a Sims free throw and a bucket by Neverson tied the game for the ninth time at 69-69 with 7:05 remaining.

 
CMU would score the next five points and still held a four-point lead at 78-74 with 3:20 left in the contest. It was after that point that the Bobcats would outscore the Eagles 11 to 2 with Sims scoring ten of those points. A Hunter free throw increased Peru State's lead to three late at 83-80 with 21 seconds left. An Eagle turnover gave Peru State the ball back and Sims would make a pair of free throws to make it 85-80 and sealed the win.

CENTRAL METHODIST GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
Both teams shot the ball well in the game. Peru State made 30 of 63 field goals for 47.6% which included making 8 of 28 for 28.6% from behind the arc. The 'Cats made 17 of 21 free throws for 81%. CMU made 32 of 69 field goals and made 6 of 15 from long range for 40%. At the charity stripe, the Eagles made 10 of 13 for 76.9%.
 
The Bobcats held a slight rebounding edge as they grabbed 36 compared to 30 for CMU.  Peru State had 14 assists while the Eagles had 11. The Bobcats did commit more turnovers than Central Methodist as they had 18 while the Eagles committed 13. The 'Cats had three blocked shots while CMU had two blocks. The steals were nearly even as CMU had 10 and Peru State had nine.
 
Individual Statistics
 
All nine Bobcats playing in the game were in the scoring column. Sims led all scorers with 33 points with Hunter adding 11 and Neverson finishing with ten.

 
Sims finished the game with a double-double as he had a game-high 13 rebounds. Frazier added six boards while Neverson and Hunter each adding four.
 
Also, Sims tied for game-high honors with five assists with Shepherd dishing out three. Hunter tied for game-high honors with four steals with Ellis grabbing two. Frazier had a game-high two blocked shots while Riak Bol (Omaha) blocked one shot.
 
Upcoming Games
 
While every game is a big game, Peru State has two really big contests this coming week – both at home.
 
On Wednesday, the Bobcats will host Benedictine College at 7:30 p.m. in the Al Wheeler Activity Center. The Ravens, who are receiving votes in the most recent NAIA DI Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll, won Saturday night over Culver-Stockton. Presently, Benedictine is 12-6 overall and 6-6 in the Heart.
 
The big showdown could be on Saturday night as the Heart's top team, William Penn University, will be in Peru for a 4 p.m. contest. Presently, the sixth-ranked Statesmen are 17-3 and 10-2 in the Heart, which is one game ahead of the Bobcats. William Penn was upset on the road Saturday afternoon by Avila University.