(Peru, Neb.) – A strong second half by the Peru State men's basketball team helped them to an 86-80 win over the visiting MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (MNU) Pioneers in Saturday action.
 
With the win, Peru State improved to 8-13 overall and 7-10 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). The Pioneers fell to 10-10 on the year and are now 9-7 in conference action.
 
First Half Action

 
The Bobcats had the early lead in the first 20 minutes which started with a basket by Brandon Eboigbodin (Nashville) after he grabbed an offensive rebound at the 19:40 mark. After the Pioneers made one of two free throws, Rashad Brackeen (Oakland, Calif.) hit a bucket in the paint coming off an assist from Marley Biyendolo (Melbourne, Australia). MNU would hit a bucket to make it 4-3 with 17:46 before the 'Cats would rattle off six straight points. Allias Roberts-Burnett (Joliet, Ill.), Paulius Sakinis (Klaipeda, Lithuania), and Brackeen would each get buckets to make it 10-3 with 16:48 on the clock.
 
Later, the 'Cats would extend their lead to 18-9 after Matej Delinac (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) hit a bucket in the paint after grabbing an offensive rebound with 12:33 left on the clock.
 
MNU would fight back to eventually tie it at 24-24 after getting a trey with just over nine minutes left in the first half. After being tied two more times at 26-26 and 28-28, the Pioneers would take the lead for the rest of the half with a bucket. Peru State was within one at 35-34 after Justin Neyland (Council Bluffs) hit a bucket with 1:57 remaining in the first 20 minutes. After MNU hit a bucket, Peru State would tie it on a three-pointer by Delinac off an assist by Eboigbodin with 1:01 left in the half.
 
The Pioneers would get a trey to end the half with a 40-37 lead.
 
Second Half Action
 
Peru State would score quickly in the second half when Sakinis hit a bucket in the paint to make it 40-39 with 19:54 on the clock. Both teams went nearly two and one-half minutes before Brackeen would hit a trey to put the 'Cats back on to at 42-40 with 17:18 on the scoreboard.
 
There would be several lead changes and ties over the course of the next eight minutes with Eboigbodin tying the game at 58-58 after making a pair of free throws with 9:21 left in the game. Brackeen would break the tie off a Pioneer turnover on a bucket in the paint with 8:38 remaining.
 
The Pioneers later would come back to tie it with a desperation three as time was running off the shot clock to knot it at 62-62 with 7:47 left on the clock.

 
Brackeen again broke the tie with a short humper and Eboigbodin later followed with a bucket in the paint and was fouled. He could not convert the free throw, but the 'Cats led 66-62 with 7:26 left in the game. After MNU hit a bucket, Brackeen hit another bucket to put the Bobcats back up by four again at 68-64 with just over seven minutes left in the contest.
 
The Pioneers would come back to tie it at 68-68 and the game was again tied at 70-70 and 75-75. A three-pointer by Roberts-Burnett would break the tie with 3:20 left and the Bobcats never trailed after that point.

MIDAMERICA NAZARENE GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
The Pioneers actually shot the ball better from the floor than Peru State. The 'Cats made 33 of 74 field goals for 44.6% which included 6 of 20 from long range for 30%. At the free throw line, the Bobcats made 14 of 20 for 70%. MNU made 28 of 59 field goals for 47.5% and hit 7 of 16 from behind the arc for 43.8%. At the charity stripe, the Pioneers made 17 of 27 for 63%.
 
The rebounding was nearly even as the 'Cats had a slight edge at 38-36. MNU dished out three more assists as they ended the game with 13 while Peru State had ten. The Bobcats handled the ball better in the game committing 12 turnovers while the Pioneers had 19.
 
MNU blocked two shots while Peru State had one. The Bobcats doubled up the steals on the Pioneers as they finished the game with eight.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Brackeen led all scorers with 30 points on 14 of 22 shooting from the floor. Roberts-Burnett added 12 points while Delinac and Sakinis each finished with ten. Eboigbodin was one shy of double figures.

 
Eboigbodin had a game-high 15 rebounds – 13 defensive to lead the team. Sakinis added eight boards.
 
Biyendolo dished out three assists while Brackeen and Roberts-Burnett each had two. Noah Vasa (Nebraska City) had the lone blocked shot for Peru State. Eboigbodin led the team with three steals while Biyendolo and Roberts-Burnett each added two.
 
Upcoming Games
 
Peru State will host Culver-Stockton (Mo.) Monday night at 7:30 p.m. The Wildcats are struggling this season and are 1-20 overall and are winless in the Heart with 17 losses.
 
On Thursday night, the 'Cats will go to Des Moines to take on the Vikings of Grand View at 7:30 p.m. Grand View, the 17^th-ranked team in NAIA DI, improved to 14-4 Saturday with a win over Culver-Stockton. The Vikings are 13-4 in the conference and are in second place in the league race.
 
Saturday will be a big day for the when they host the Benedictine (Kan.) Ravens at approximately 4:30 p.m. The Ravens, through Saturday play, are 15-6 on the year and are 12-5 in the Heart. Benedictine was receiving votes in the most recent coaches' poll.
 
It is the Peru State Foundation's National Alumni Association Chili Feed with many other activities being held. The Fantastic Flyers of Gary's Tumbling out of Glenwood, Iowa, will perform at halftime of both games. Between games, it will be Senior Day for the basketball teams and the cheerleaders. Also at halftime, the College will recognize its fall student-athletes who excelled athletically and academically.