(Peru, Neb.) – Four free throws in the final 12 seconds sealed the win for the Peru State men's basketball team Saturday over the visiting Culver-Stockton (C-SC) (Mo.) Wildcats.

The Wildcats had cut the Bobcat lead to just two at 92-90 with 12 seconds left on the clock before LJ Westbrook (Salem, Ore.) and Andre Frazier-Stanley (Los Angeles) each made a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to seal the 96-90 win.
 
Peru State improved to 16-8 overall on the year and more importantly are now 10-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) North Division. Culver-Stockton, despite playing many close contests this year, fell to 5-19 overall and 2-11 in the Heart North.

 
First Half Action
 
The first half was tight throughout with the largest lead by either team being nine points.
 
Seth Snoddy (Daly City, Calif.) hit a bucket to start the game just 15 seconds into the contest. The Wildcats would immediately tie it up before Snoddy hit another bucket, this time off an assist from Westbrook to put the Bobcats back up 4-2. Quantice Hunter (Chicago) would make a pair of free throws to stretch the lead to four.
 
C-SC would score four straight to knot the game at 6-6 with 16:48 left in the half. Hunter would hit a bucket on an assist from Terry Moore, Jr. (Kansas City, Mo.), but the lead would be short-lived as the Wildcats would get their first lead with a trey. Culver-Stockton would add another bucket and had their largest lead of the first half as they were up 11-8 at the 15:24 mark.
 
Peru State responded with nine straight points which started with a pair of free throws by Westbrook. Hunter had a bucket and then Marley Biyendolo (Melbourne, Australia) added a pair of free throws to make it 14-11. Nolan Cass (Spring, Texas) would cap off the nine-point run with a trey off an assist from Westbrook.
 
Later in the half at the 3:48 mark, a bucket by Cass on an assist from Westbrook gave Peru State its largest lead of nine at 37-28. The Wildcats would fight their way back into the game and with a pair of free throw with two seconds left, Culver-Stockton would take a one-point halftime lead at 44-43.
 
Second Half Action
 
After the Wildcats scored the first bucket of the second half on a three-pointer, buckets by Biyendolo and Moore Jr. would tie the game at 47-47. On Peru State's next possession, Moore Jr. would complete an old-fashioned three-point play to put the Bobcats up 50-47 at the 18:15 mark.
 
Peru State would extend its lead to seven at 54-47 before the Wildcats would go on a 14-4 run to lead 61-58 with 13:54 remaining in the game.
 
After that point, the Bobcats went on a 14-1 run which was capped off with a Cass three-pointer off an assist from Westbrook. Peru State led 72-62 with just over ten minutes to play and appeared to be in a good position at that point.
 
The Bobcats would extend their lead to 16 at 80-64 after Moore Jr. made a bucket in the paint only to see Culver-Stockton score the next eight points. Noah Vasa (Nebraska City) would score in the paint after he grabbed an offensive rebound to stop the Wildcat run.
 
Peru State would still lead by ten at 87-77 before Culver-Stockton would outscore the Bobcats 13-5 to pull within two at 92-90 with 15 seconds left. As the Wildcats would be forced to foul, Peru State sealed the win with four consecutive free throws.

CULVER-STOCKTON GAME BOOK
 

Team Statistics
 
Both teams shot the ball well from the floor. Peru State connected on 34 of 65 field goal attempts for 52.3% which included making 7 of 19 from behind the arc for 36.8%. The Bobcats made 21 of 30 free throws for 70% which is where they actually won the game. Culver-Stockton hit 31 of 65 field goals for 47.7% and actually shot better from three-point range as they made 16 of 33 for 48.5%. C-SC struggled from the free throw line as they hit just 12 of 27 for 44.4%.
 
Peru State had a big rebounding edge as they grabbed 46 rebounds compared to 27 for Culver-Stockton. The Wildcats had the edge in assists as they dished out 20 while the Bobcats had 14.
 
The Bobcats finished with 14 turnovers – two more than Culver-Stockton. Both teams blocked four shots. Peru State grabbed five steals while the Wildcats had two.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Four Bobcats finished scoring in double figures. Hunter led the way with 22 points while Westbrook added 20. Cass and Frazier-Stanley each finished with 11 points. Moore Jr. and Vasa were each just a bucket away from double figures.
 
Westbrook added a game-high ten rebounds to finish with a double-double. Hunter and Frazier-Stanley each added six boards while Allias Roberts-Burnett (Joliet, Ill.) grabbed five rebounds.
 
Westbrook dished out a game-high seven assists with Hunter handing out three.
 
Frazier-Stanley blocked two shots while Moore Jr. and Snoddy were each credited with one. Hunter, Westbrook, Moore Jr., Cass, and Vasa each finished with one steal.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
It is a big week coming up for the Bobcats as they play two of the Heart's top teams. On Wednesday night, Peru State will travel to Oskaloosa, Iowa, to take on NAIA's top team, William Penn, at 7:30 p.m. The Statesmen's top ranking will be in question as they had their 37-game home court winning streak snapped by Graceland (Iowa) Saturday afternoon. The Statesmen are 21-2 overall with their other loss coming from Peru State. In the Heart North, William Penn is 11-2 and has a one-game lead over both Graceland and Peru State.

 
Next Saturday, Feb. 10, the Bobcats head to Fayette, Mo., to take on Central Methodist who is the top team in the Heart South and is 12^th-ranked in the NAIA. The Eagles have won four straight and are 21-3 on the year and 10-3 in conference play.
 
Immediately following play at Central Methodist, the Bobcats will head to Vermillion, S.D., to play an exhibition game with the University of South Dakota on Sunday, Feb. 11.
 
Later that week, the Bobcats will be at home against Baker (Kan.) on Valentine's Day night at 7:30 p.m. On Feb. 17, Peru State will have it second game of the season with Graceland at 4 p.m. The 17^th will be senior day for the Bobcat women's and men's teams.