(Peru, Neb.) – A career-best performance of 41 points by Quantice Hunter (Chicago) was not enough for the Peru State men's basketball team as the home-standing Northwestern Red Raiders captured their fourth win of the season with a 100-87 win. The game was played in Orange City, Iowa, as part of the Northwestern College Classic on Saturday.
 
Northwestern improved to 4-0 and were preseason ranked fifth in NAIA Division II. The Bobcats suffered their first loss of the season and are now 3-1 in the early season.
 
First Half Action
 
The Red Raiders started off with a 5-0 lead before LJ Westbrook (Salem, Ore.) hit a bucket in the paint to make it 5-2. Northwestern would go on a 6-0 run to lead 11-2 before Marcus Nolan (Casper, Wyo.) made a pair of free throws to stop the run with 15:42 left in the half. 

 
Northwestern would move out to a 32-10 lead with 8:58 to go in the first 20 minutes before Noah Vasa (Nebraska City) would get a bucket in the paint off an assist from Hunter at the 8:23 mark.
 
The Red Raiders would still lead by 20 at 34-14 with 6:26 left before Hunter hit back-to-back free throws to make it 34-16. Westbrook would hit a pair of free throws and then hit a two-pointer to make it 34-20 Northwestern with 4:49 left in the half.
 
Northwestern pulled back out to a 20-point advantage before the 'Cats cut the lead down to ten with a 10-0 run. Hunter hit a bucket in the paint to make it 40-30 with 49 seconds left.
 
At halftime the Red Raiders led 44-32.
 
Second Half Action
 
Vasa hit a three-pointer off an assist from Hunter to start the second half to cut the deficit to nine. But, the Red Raiders jumped back to an 18-point advantage at 53-38 with 17:23 left in the game.
 
Northwestern still led by 18 at 63-45 with 14:20 remaining and extended the lead to 20 at 76-56 with 8:48. Later, the Red Raiders had their largest lead of 23 at 85-62 with 5:34 left in the contest.
 
The Bobcats would outscore Northwestern 25-15 during the last five minutes, but could not overcome the deficit.

NORTHWESTERN GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
The Red Raiders made 29 of 64 field goals for 45.3% and were good from long range as they made 13 of 32 for 40.6%. At the free throw line, Northwestern hit 29 of 35 for 82.9%. Peru State made 27 of 71 field goals for 38% and was better from behind the arc as they hit 14 of 33 for 42.4%. The 'Cats made 19 of 22 free throws of 86.4%.
 
Northwestern had the edge in rebounding as they grabbed 47 rebounds compared to 35 for the Bobcats. The Red Raiders nearly tripled up the 'Cats in assists as they finished with 23 while Peru State had eight.
 
Peru State committed 14 turnovers while the Red Raiders had 16 miscues. The Bobcats blocked one shot and had 11 steals while Northwestern had three blocked shots and just two steals.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Hunter led all scorers with 41 points on 12 of 23 shooting which included making eight of ten from behind the arc. In addition, he made nine of ten free throw tries.
 
Westbrook finished with nine points while B.J. Day (Lincoln) added eight. Vasa and Dominique Bell (Houston) each added seven points.
 

Hunter almost had a double-double as he led the Bobcats with nine rebounds with Vasa adding four.
 
Terry Moore, Jr., (Kansas City, Kan.) led the team with three assists while Hunter dished out two. Vasa was credited with the lone blocked shot. Westbrook had a game-high three steals while Hunter, Nolan Cass (Spring, Texas), and Day each nabbing two steals.
 
Upcoming Games
 
Peru State will travel to Lincoln Monday night to face NCAA Division III Nebraska Wesleyan at 8 p.m. For the Prairie Wolves, this will be an exhibition contest, but it will count for the Bobcats.
 
On Tuesday night, the 'Cats will play an exhibition game in Sioux Falls, S.D., when they take on the Augustana Vikings at 7 p.m. The Vikings have started the season 2-0 with wins over Southern Indiana and Montevello.