(Peru, Neb.) – The third time was the charm for the Graceland Yellowjackets Monday night in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) Post-season Tournament Championship.
 
The Peru State Bobcat men's basketball team had swept the season series over Graceland, but the Yellowjackets earned the tournament championship with a 95-68 win in Lamoni, Iowa, Monday evening.
 
With a win, Graceland earns an automatic berth into the NAIA DI Men's Basketball National Tournament which will be held March 14-20 in Kansas City, Mo. The 'Jackets improved to 24-10 with the win. Peru State fell to 21-13 and now will wait until the NAIA Selection Show which will be held Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. to learn their fate. It appears the 'Cats could get the Heart host berth.
 
First Half Action
 
LJ Westbrook (Salem, Ore.) hit a two-pointer and then a trey to give the Bobcats an early 5-0 lead and things looked good at that point for the 'Cats.

Graceland would come back with five straight to tie it at 5-5 before Westbrook would dish the ball to Marley Biyendolo (Melbourne, Australia) who hit a bucket to put the Bobcats back up 7-5 at the 16:44 mark.
 
After the Yellowjackets tied it at 7-7, Quantice Hunter (Chicago) hit a bucket off an assist from Westbrook. Then, Westbrook drained a trey coming on an assist from Biyendolo. With 14:56 remaining in the first half, the Bobcats led 12-7.
 
The 'Jackets would go on a 7-0 run to go up 14-12, but Hunter would tie it again with a bucket at the 12:46 point. Graceland would score the next four points to lead 18-14, but Noah Vasa (Nebraska City) grabbed his own miss and put it back in to cut the deficit in half. Then, with 9:56 to go, Vasa hit a three-pointer on an assist from Westbrook to put Peru State back up 19-18.
 
That would be the last time the Bobcats would lead in the game as Graceland regained the lead with Peru State tying it one more time at 22-22 with nine minutes left in the first 20 minutes. Graceland would go on a 15-5 run to gain their first double-digit lead at 37-27. The 'Cats were never able to get back to a single-digit deficit the rest of the game.
 
Graceland led 45-30 at halftime.
 
Second Half Action
 
The Yellowjackets would score the first six points of the second half to build their lead to 21 before Westbrook would get the Bobcats on the board with a pair of free throws.
 
With 10:56 left in the game, Graceland had built their lead to 24 at 61-37. Later, a trey by Biyendolo off an assist from Westbrook pulled Peru State back to their halftime deficit of 15 at 65-50 with 7:19 left.
 
Graceland would then put the hammer down and eventually led by as many as 29 at 87-58 at the 2:55 point before finishing off the 'Cats for the championship win.

GRACELAND GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
The Yellowjackets were hot while the Bobcats had one of their poorer shooting night. Graceland made 40 of 78 field goals for 51.3% - many of which were from offensive rebounds and put-backs. The 'Jackets made 6 of 21 from long range for 28.6%. At the free throw line, Graceland was 9 of 12 for 75%. Peru State hit 21 of 59 field goal tries for 35.6% which included making 9 of 31 from behind the arc for 29%. The Bobcats did hit 17 of 21 free throws for 81%.

 
The big difference in the game came in the rebounding efforts as the Yellowjackets out-rebounded Peru State 48-33 which included 17 offensive rebounds. Graceland doubled up the 'Cats on assists as they finished with 22 and the Bobcats had 11.
 
Peru State finished with 15 turnovers while Graceland had 11. The Bobcats did block four shots compared to two for their opponents. The 'Jackets nabbed nine steals compared to four for the 'Cats.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Westbrook led the Bobcats with 20 points. Three other 'Cats finished in double figures – Hunter with 13, Biyendolo with 11, and Vasa with 10.
 
Vasa led the team with six rebounds while Andre Frazier-Stanley (Los Angeles), Westbrook, and Biyendolo each had five rebounds. Westbrook almost finished with a double-double as he dished out nine assists with Biyendolo being credited with two.
 
Frazier-Stanley, Terry Moore, Jr. (Kansas City, Kan.), Biyendolo, and Vasa were each credited with one blocked shot. Nolan Cass (Spring, Texas) led the team with two steals while Hunter and Biyendolo each had one.
 
Upcoming Games
 
While it appears in the NAIA bracketology that Peru State will make the tournament as the Heart's host team berth, the final announcement will be made Wednesday night at 6 p.m.
 
The Foundation is hosting a watch party in the student center from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Short talks will begin at 5:45 with the group watching the reveal which will begin at 6 p.m. on the NAIA Network. The public is invited and there will be light refreshments.