(Peru, Neb.) – The 2017-18 Peru State men's basketball have won their first three basketball games of the season – something that has not been accomplished since the 2014-15 year. This is just the second time in the past 14 years that this has happened.
 
The Bobcats topped Dordt (Iowa) 102-97 in overtime in the Northwestern College Classic in Orange City, Iowa, Friday night to improve to 3-0. The Defenders fell to 2-3 on the season.
 
First Half Action
 
The Defenders went up 5-0 before Seth Snoddy (Daly City, Calif.) scored a bucket on an assist from Quantice Hunter (Chicago). Dordt would continue to expand on their lead and eventually led 12-4 with 16:22 left in the first half before Marcus Nolan (Casper, Wyo.) made a pair of free throws.

 
Dordt still led by eight at 19-11 with 12:39 left in the first 20 minutes. B.J. Day (Lincoln) hit a bucket after a Bobcat timeout and later Hunter hit a bucket to pull the 'Cats within four at 19-15. The Defenders would get another hoop which was followed by a Peru State bucket by Allias Roberts-Burnett (Joliet, Ill.) at the 10:52 mark to make it 21-17.
 
Hunter would then hit back-to-back buckets to tie the game for the first time at 21-21 with 9:59 left in the first stanza. After the Defenders made a pair of free throws to regain the lead, Nolan Cass (Spring, Texas) hit a trey to put Peru State up for the first time 24-23 with 9:10 left.
 
The Defenders would regain the lead on their next possession and never trailed the rest of the half. Dordt led 45-39 at halftime.
 
Second Half Action
 
Dordt would extend their lead to nine at the beginning of the second half with a trey at the 19:01 mark. The Defenders would eventually lead by ten at 51-41 with 17:22 left in regulation.
 
Peru State would then go on a 16-6 run to tie it at 57-57 after Cass made a bucket in the paint off an assist from LJ Westbrook (Salem, Ore.) at the 12:48 mark. Immediately, the Defenders regained the lead and built their lead back to seven at 67-60 with 8:38 left.
 
A bucket by Westbrook on an assist from Roberts-Burnett cut the led to five. But, the Defenders had another gear left and moved back out to a ten-point lead at 82-72 with just under three minutes to go in the contest.

 
Paulius Sakinis (Klaipeda, Lithuania) made a pair of free throw to start the Peru State comeback which was followed by a pair of free throws by Westbrook to make it 82-76 with 1:30 left. Westbrook then scored off a turnover in the paint to cut the lead to four. Peru State then took a timeout.
 
After a Dordt turnover, Nolan hit one of two free throws to pull Peru State within one at 82-78 with 54 seconds left. The Defenders stopped the Bobcat run with a bucket with 37 ticks left on the clock.
 
Later with eight seconds left, Hunter hit a bucket in the paint to tie the game at 87-87 at the end of regulation to force the overtime.
 
Overtime Action
 
Hunter hit a pair of free throws to start the overtime in which the Bobcats led most of the time on their way to the win.

DORDT GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
Similar to the final score, the team statistics were pretty close. Peru State made 38 of 84 field goals for 45.2% and made nine of 21 three-point attempts for 42.9%. The Bobcats connected on 17 of 21 free throws for 81%. The Defenders made 31 of 73 field goals for 42.5% and made seven of 23 from long range for 30.4%. What kept Dordt in the game was they made double the trips to the free throw line and 28 of them for 66.7%.
 
The rebounding was even at 47 each. Peru State had 15 turnovers while Dordt finished with 13. The Defenders had eight assists while the 'Cats had ten.
 
Dordt blocked two shots and had seven steals. Peru State finished with nine steals.

 
Individual Statistics
 
Five Bobcats finished in double figures and were led by Hunter who had a game-high 27 points on 12 of 24 shooting. Cass finished with 18 while Westbrook added 15. Roberts-Burnett had 13 and Nolan finished with 12.
 
Nolan led the team with seven boards while Westbrook added six and Hunter finished with five.
 
Hunter and Westbrook each dished out a game-high four assists. Hunter also had a game-high six steals.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
Peru State will face the tourney hosts at 4 p.m. The Red Raiders are also 3-0 on the season having stopped Waldorf (Iowa) Friday night 103-73. Northwestern is the number five team in the NAIA Division II.
 
The Bobcats will be back in action on Monday when they travel to face NCAA DIII Nebraska Wesleyan at 8 p.m. in Lincoln. The Plainsmen, who moved to the NCAA two years ago, will be playing this game as an exhibition, but it will count for Peru State. This will be Wesleyan's first contest.