(Peru, Neb.) – For the first time since joining the Heart of America Athletic Conference, the Peru State men's basketball team gained a share of the regular-season title with their win over Evangel University Saturday at home.
The Bobcats topped the Crusaders 91-67 to improve to 17-5 in the Heart which gave them a share of the title with MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) University and William Penn (Iowa) University. Overall, the 'Cats improved to 21-9 which is the most wins in 13 years as they matched the 2002-03 team's total of 21 wins.
With the win, Peru State gained the second seed in the upcoming Heart post-season tournament. The Bobcats will host the winner of seventh-seeded Central Methodist (Mo.) University and tenth-seeded Grand View (Iowa) University. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Al Wheeler Activity Center (AWAC) Wednesday night.
First Half Action Peru State jumped to an early lead in the game with
Corday Sims (Chicago) hitting back-to-back threes with the second one coming on an assist from
Rich Shepherd (Greenville, N.C.) to go up 6-0 with 17:18 left in the first half. Evangel responded with a three to cut the lead to 6-3 before
Kris Frazier (Cleveland) hit a bucket on an assist from
Quantice Hunter (Chicago). 
Kris Frazier gets the dunk off the assist from Quantice Hunter early in the game.
Frazier finished the game with 23 points and 12 rebounds.The Bobcats had their first double-digit lead at 17-7 when
Riak Bol (Omaha) drained a three-pointer with 13:28 left in the first 20 minutes. Bol would have an opportunity to complete an old-fashioned three-point play but missed his free throw. On Peru State's next possession, Frazier hit a bucket to put the 'Cats up 21-7 at the 10:56 mark.
A pair of Sims free throws would give Peru State its first 20-point lead at 29-9 with 8:36 left in the half. The Bobcats would extend its lead to 27 at 43-16 after Bol hit another jumper with 1:41
Riak Bol shows his range
as he drains a trey - Bol
finished with 10 pointsremaining.
After the Crusaders drained a trey, Sims would hit a pair of free throws to end the first half scoring with Peru State comfortably leading 45-19.
Second Half Action A three-pointer by Hunter and a bucket by Sims would push Peru State's lead to 31 at 50-19 to start the second half.
It was at that point the Crusaders slowly cut into the Bobcat lead. Evangel went on a 20-5 run to get back within 16 at 55-39 with 13:25 to go in the contest. Sims would be fouled while shooting a three-pointer and he connected on all three to stop the run.
Evangel was still playing hard in what would be their final game of the year as they closed it to 11 at 62-51 with just over ten minutes left. That obviously fired up the Bobcats as they scored the next ten points.
Hunter hit a bucket but could not make the free throw to start the 10-0 spurt. Frazier would make one of two free throws and then slammed down a bucket off an assist from Bol to make it 67-51.
Jeff Neverson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) would dish the ball to Frazier who again scored. Shepherd would finish off the run with a trey off the assist from Sims and Peru State led 72-51 with 7:05 remaining.
The closest the Crusaders would be the rest of the game was at the 5:20 mark when they trailed 75-59. Buckets by Sims and Hunter pushed Peru State's lead back to 20 at 79-59 with 2:54 to go.
EVANGEL GAME BOOK Team Statistics Peru State connected on 32 of 68 field goals for 47.1% which included making 10 of 26 for 38.5% from long range. At the free throw line, the Bobcats hit 17 of 26 for 65.4%. Evangel hit 24 of 65 for 36.9% and had 9 of 27 three-pointers for 33.3%. The Crusaders were 10 of 13 at the charity stripe for 76.9%.
The Bobcats controlled the boards as they grabbed 47 rebounds compared to 28 for Evangel. The Crusaders finished with nine assists while the 'Cats had 11. Peru State had 11 turnovers while Evangel finished with 15. Both teams blocked two shots. The Bobcats had eight steals while the Crusaders finished with two.
Individual Statistics Four Bobcats finished in double figures and were led by Sims who had a game-high 32 points – his sixth straight game of 30 points or more. Frazier added 23 points on 10 of 12 shooting. Hunter finished with 15 while Bol added ten.
Sims and Frazier both finished with double-doubles as Sims grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds with Frazier adding 12.
Shepherd, Sims, and Hunter each dished out a game-high three assists with Neverson finished with two. Frazier and Bol each blocked one shot. Hunter led the team with a game-high four steals.
Corday Sims gets one of his five three-pointers over the out-stretched hands of the
Evangel defender. Sims led all scorers with 32 points and had a game-high 14 rebounds.Peru State will begin its quest of a Heart of America Athletic Conference post-season tournament title Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the Al Wheeler Activity Center with the opponent to be determined. As this is a post-season contest, only Heart of America passes will be allowed.
With a win, the Bobcats would host the winner of the game between third-seeded William Penn and sixth-seeded Benedictine (Kan.) College on Friday night at 7 p.m. in the AWAC.
If the 'Cats would win their semifinal contest, they would play for the Heart post-season title on Monday, March 7, at 7 p.m. If the bracket holds true to form, the Bobcats would travel to Olathe, Kan., to face the top-seeded MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers.
