(Peru, Neb.) – The Statesmen of William Penn (WPU) (Iowa) scored the final 12 points of the first quarter and never trailed after that point. WPU defeated the Peru State women's basketball team Saturday afternoon 71-35 in Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) action.
 
With the win, the Statesmen improved to 8-3 overall and 2-0 in the Heart. The 'Cats fell to 3-6 and are now 0-2 in conference action.
 
First Quarter Action
 
Abigail Niebrugge (Omaha) hit the first three-pointer of the contest off an assist from Destany Ross (Gretna) at the 9:16. The Statesmen would then score the next five points to go up 5-3 before Niebrugge hit another trey, this time on an assist from Lauren Beath (Bakersfield, Calif.). WPU would get a bucket in the paint to regain the lead at 7-6 with 5:40 left in the first stanza. Beath would then hit a three-point try on an assist from Brooke Maeda (Honolulu) to take what would be their final lead of the game at 9-7 with 4:59 remaining in the quarter. William Penn would score the final 12 points of the first quarter to lead 19-9 after the first ten minutes.

 
Second Quarter Action
 
The Statesmen would start where they left off at the end of the first quarter and scored 11 more points to lead 30-9 before Maeda would hit a three off an assist from Niebrugge at the 6:37 point in the first half. WPU would lead by as many as 23 in the quarter before finishing the half with a 38-16 advantage.
 
Third Quarter Action
 
Peru State would lose Niebrugge with 4:45 left in the period and was forced to play with four players the rest of the contest. At the time Niebrugge left the game, WPU led 43-18. The Statesmen would outscore the Bobcat 10-5 during the rest of the quarter and led by 30 at 53-23 at the end of three periods.
 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
The Statesmen kept the pressure on as they rotated starters in and out the rest of the game. WPU outscored the 'Cats 18-12 in the final frame.

WILLIAM PENN GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
William Penn made 26 of 69 field goals for 37.7% which included making ten of 32 three-point attempts for 31.3%. At the free throw line, the Statesmen made nine of 13 for 69.2%. Peru State connected on just ten of 47 field goal tries for 21.3% which included hitting just six of 25 from long range for 24%. At the charity line, the 'Cats made nine of 12 for 75%.
 
The much taller Statesmen grabbed 50 rebounds compared to 20 for the Bobcats. WPU more than doubled up the assists as they had 17 while the 'Cats finished with eight.
 
WPU had 15 turnovers while Peru State had 21 miscues. The Statesmen blocked three shots and had ten steals. The Bobcats finished with five steals.

 
Individual Statistics
 
Maddy McPhillips (Omaha) led the Bobcats with 12 points. Beath finished with ten.
 
Ross led the team with eight rebounds while Beath grabbed five. Ross also had a team-high three assists while McPhillips dished out two. Ross also led the team with three steals while Niebrugge added two.
 
Upcoming Games
 
The Bobcats will have one more regular-season game before 2017 ends. Peru State will head to Atchison, Kan., on Dec. 9 to take on Benedictine. The preseason ninth-ranked Ravens are 8-2 overall and are 1-1 in the Heart. Benedictine lost to MidAmerica Nazarene but topped Avila on Saturday.
 
Then, on Sunday, the 'Cats will play an exhibition contest at NCAA DII Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Mo., at 6 p.m. The Griffins are off to a great start this season and presently have a 7-1 mark.