(Peru, Neb.) – The game was within three at 15-12 with just 1:12 left in the first quarter. The William Penn (WPU) Statesmen women's basketball team would score the next 15 points and never look back.
 
The Statesmen would go on for an easy 78-40 win over the visiting Bobcats of Peru State Saturday afternoon in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
 
WPU improved to 9-1 on the season and 6-1 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). Peru State fell to 1-9 on the year and are 0-6 in conference action.

 
First Quarter Action
 
William Penn would score the first two points of the game and never trailed the rest of the way. A basket by Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) after grabbing an offensive rebound tied the game for the only time in the contest.
 
The Statesmen would build their early lead to 15-6 before Swaranga Fernando (Colombo, Sri Lanka) hit a bucket to stop their run. Keaundra Washington (Omaha) would then feed an assist to Fernando who would hit her second-straight hoop to pull the 'Cats within five at 15-10.
 
Giovanna Silva (Brazilia, Brazil) would grab an offensive rebound and put it back up and at the 1:12 mark Peru State was within three at 15-12.
 
But, William Penn would then go on their 15-point run. At the end of the first quarter it was 19-12 Statesmen.
 
Second Quarter Action
 
After scoring four to end the first quarter, WPU scored the first 11 of the second quarter to lead 30-12. A Fernando basket in the paint would stop that run with 6:57 left in the half.
 
WPU would then go on another huge run – this time 18 points to lead 48-14. A Lauren Beath (Bakersfield, Calif.) trey with 39 seconds left in the half off an assist from Fernando made the halftime score 48-17.

 
Third Quarter Action
 
The Statesmen would lead by as many as 38 on several occasions in the third quarter.
 
At the end of the third, Anjanea Simms (St. Louis, Mo.) would hit a field goal with six seconds left to make the score 64-28 William Penn.
 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
William Penn would score the first ten points of the final stanza before Cudney hit a bucket in the paint to stop the run at the 6:20 mark.
 
A basket by Daspin Bruning (Everest, Kan.) at the end of the game made the final score 78-40 in favor of the Statesmen.

WILLIAM PENN GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
William Penn made 28 of 71 field goals for 39.4% which included making 8 of 27 from long range for 29.6%. At the charity stripe, the Statesmen connected on 14 of 19 free throws for 73.7%. Peru State had a cold night, especially from behind the arc. The Bobcats made 16 of 56 field goals for 28.6% and only made 1 of 15 from three-point range for 6.7%. At the free throw line, the "Cats made 7 of 13 of 53.8%.
 
Surprisingly, the Bobcats did outrebound the Statesmen as they grabbed 43 boards compared to 42 for WPU. The rest of the stats were entirely in William Penn's favor.
 
The Statesmen dished out 16 assists compared to six for the 'Cats. The turnovers were huge as WPU only committed five while Peru State had 23. The Statesmen were able to score 29 points off of the Bobcat miscues.
 
WPU blocked three shots while Peru State had one blocked shot. The Statesmen nabbed 13 steals compared to just four for the Bobcats.

 
Peru Player Statistics
 
No Bobcat finished in double figures in scoring. Fernando and Cudney led the team with eight points each while Bruning and Silva each added six.
 
Silva had a game-high ten rebounds with Cudney adding seven. Bruning grabbed six board with Brooke Maeda (Honolulu) finishing with five.
 
Silva, Cudney, Maeda, Washington, Fernando, and Jordan Salas (Winfield, Kan.) each had one assist. Simms was credited with the Bobcats' lone blocked shot. Bruning led the team with two steals.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
Peru State will play one more regular-season game in 2018 when they host Culver-Stockton on Saturday, Dec. 15, at noon. The Wildcats pulled off an upset Saturday when they beat the ranked Baker (Kan.) Wildcats to improve to 5-5 on the year and 3-4 in the Heart. Peru State lost to Baker in overtime on their home court earlier in the season.

The December 15 game will be the "Toys for Tots" contest. All fans attending who bring a new toy will be allowed free admission to the game.
 
On Dec. 19, the Bobcats will play an exhibition game in Sioux Falls, S.D., against Augustana at 5:30 p.m. The NCAA DII Vikings are presently 10-1 on the season.