(Peru, Neb.) – After fighting their way back to tie the game and lead in the second half, the Peru State Bobcat men's basketball team could not fend off the Vikings of Grand View Thursday night. Grand View regained the lead at 52-51 with 8:40 left in the game and the 'Cats could not get the lead back.
 
Grand View improved to 6-2 overall and 5-1 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). The Bobcats fell below .500 to 4-5 overall and are even at 3-3 in the Heart.
 
First Half Action
 
The 'Cats never led in the first half as Grand View hit a trey to start the game with 19:25 left in the first 20 minutes. After a free throw by the Vikings that put them up 4-0, Lyle Hexom (Omaha) put the Bobcats on the board with a bucket in the paint with 18:32 to go in the half. Later, Brandon Eboigbodin (Nashville) hit a bucket in the point off an assist from Marley Biyendolo (Melbourne, Australia) at the 18:03 mark.

 
The teams were cold for the next couple of minutes with Grand View getting the only bucket until they made another one to lead 8-4 with 14:50 remaining. The Vikings would extend their lead to 12-4 before Rashad Brackeen (Oakland, Calif.) hit a trey to stop the run at the 13:17 mark to make it 12-7.
 
Grand View would lead by as many as 12 at 25-13 with 7:49 left in the first 20 minutes. Brackeen would dish an assist to Hexom who would lay it in to cut the deficit to ten. Another Hexom bucket in the paint got it back to single digits at 25-17 at the 6:22 point. The Vikings would again go up by 12 at 31-19 before Eboigbodin would score in the paint off an assist from Matej Delinac (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) which was followed by a two-pointer by Biyendolo on an assist from Eboigbodin to make it 31-23. After a defensive rebound by Biyendolo, Hexom drained a trey to pull the 'Cats within five at 31-26 at the 4:22 mark on an assist from Brackeen. At that point, the Vikings called a timeout.
 
Both teams had trouble finding the bucket in the final four minutes as Grand View outscored Peru State 5-3 to take a 36-29 lead after the first 20 minutes.
 
Second Half Action

 
Grand View started the half making one of two free throws and then hit three buckets to go up by 12 at 41-29.
 
Later, when the Vikings still led by ten at 46-36 with 13:13 left, the Bobcats started a rally. A trey and a bucket by Brackeen cut the lead to five at 46-41 with 12:30 to go. Hexom then made a pair of free throws to make it 46-43 at the 11:35 mark. Brackeen followed with another bucket and suddenly the 'Cats were back within one at 46-45. A Hexom bucket would put Peru State in the lead at 47-46 with 10:19 left in the contest.
 
Another Hexom bucket would extend the lead to three before Grand View nailed a trey to tie it at 49-49 with 9:20 left. Brackeen would put the 'Cats back up with a hoop, but on the Vikings' next possession, they found the range from long range and went ahead for good at 52-51.
 
The Bobcats were still within three at 67-64 with 2:52 left, but were outscored 10-2 during the rest of the game as the Vikings pulled away for the win.

GRAND VIEW GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
Grand View hit 24 of 63 field goal tries for 38.1% and was better from behind the arc as they hit 9 of 23 for 39.1%. At the free throw line, the Vikings made 20 of 26 for 76.9%. Peru State made 22 of 63 for 34.9% and connected on 6 of 22 from long range for 27.3%. At the charity stripe, the 'Cats made 16 of 22 for 72.7%.

 
The rebounding edge went to the Bobcats by one 38-37. It was the same difference in assists as Peru State had 11 while the Vikings had ten. It was the exact same count on turnovers with the 'Cats committing one more error.
 
The Vikings blocked four shots while Peru State had three blocks. Both teams had four steals.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Three Bobcats finished in double figures with Hexom leading the way with a game-high 30 points. Brackeen finished with 18 while Biyendolo added ten.
 
Hexom finished with a double-double as he grabbed 12 rebounds. Eboigbodin added nine boards while Brackeen finished with seven.
 
Brackeen dished out six assists while Biyendolo handed out two. Hexom blocked three shots and Eboigbodin led the team with two steals.
 
Upcoming Games
 
The 'Cats are back in action on Saturday as they will take on Benedictine at 4 p.m. in Atchison, Kan. The Ravens are 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Heart. Benedictine is on a three-game losing streak having started the season 6-0.
 
On Tuesday, Peru State will head to Bismarck, N.D., to face NCAA DII University of Mary at 7 p.m. The Marauders are currently 2-4 overall and will play two of their conference games this weekend before Peru State takes the court in the McDowell Activity Center.
 
Peru State will host its final game of 2016 on Saturday, Dec. 10, when the Clarke Crusaders visit the AWAC for a 2 p.m. game. Clarke is presently 3-5 on the season and 2-4 in the Heart. Also on Dec. 10, there will be special entertainment as the Fantastic Flyers of Gary's Tumbling in Glenwood, Iowa, will perform.