(Peru, Neb.) – It was an early Christmas present for the Peru State women's basketball team as they easily handled the College of St. Mary (CSM) Wednesday night in Omaha.
 
The Bobcats pulled away in the second and third quarters on their way to a 78-43 win over the Flames in non-conference action.
 
With the win, the 'Cats improved to 4-7 for the season. CSM fell to 4-10.
 
First Quarter Action
 
Both teams got off to a little slow start in the first quarter. The Bobcats score the first two buckets of the contests as Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) hit a bucket 21 seconds into the game. Alyssa Marsh-Contreras (Omaha) score about a minute later to put the 'Cats up 4-0 at that point.

 
The Flames came back with five straight points to take the lead at 5-4. Cudney would make one of two free throws to tie it and then Marsh-Contreras regained the lead for the Bobcats with a bucket.
 
The game would be tied at seven and nine before CSM hit a bucket at the 3:27 mark to take an 11-9 lead. Several turnovers and missed shots by both teams followed the rest of the quarter with a three-pointer by Marsh-Contreras off an assist from Reagan Kirkwood (Valley Falls, Kan.) gave Peru State a 12-11 lead after the first ten minutes.
 
The College of St. Mary would never lead after that point.
 
Second Quarter Action
 
A three-pointer by Kirkwood off an assist from Marsh-Contreras started the second stanza. A bucket by the Flames was followed by eight straight points by Peru State.
 
A bucket by Cudney from Marsh-Contreras started the run with another bucket by Cudney, this time off an assist from Dayna Dewitt (Mansfield, Texas) ending the run with the 'Cats leading 23-13 at the 5:49 mark.
 
CSM would eventually cut the lead back to five at 27-22 with 1:40 left in the first half.
 
Peru State would reel off nine points to end the quarter. Allison Tichy (Bellevue) hit a trey off an assist from Dewitt and then Dewitt hit a bucket off an assist from Nytasia Braxton (Camden, N.J.) to make it 32-22. Dewitt completed the old-fashioned three-point play and Marsh-Contreras would get a buzzer-beater three-pointer to put the Bobcats up 36-22 at halftime.
 
Third Quarter Action

 
Back-to-back three-pointers by Marsh-Contreras started the second half to increase Peru State's lead to 20 at 42-22. The first came off an assist from Kirkwood while Braxton provided the second dime.
 
CSM would cut it back to 15 only to see Kirkwood hit a pair of free throws and then Tichy hitting another trey to put the lead back to 20.
 
Later, after still leading by 20 at 49-29, the 'Cats would outscore the Flames 12-0 to end the quarter with a 61-29 lead.
 
Marsh-Contreras started the run with a bucket off an assist from Maddy McPhillips (Omaha) while Cudney ended it with a bucket in the paint off an assist from Tichy.
 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
The Flames would score the first two hoops of the final quarter before Dewitt got the Bobcats on the board with a bucket with 7:50 remaining.
 
Peru State would have its largest lead of the game at 36 with 4:30 remaining after Daspin Bruning (Everest, Kan.) hit a bucket to make it 73-37.
 
After the Flames had cut it down to 30 at 73-43, Brooke Maeda (Honolulu) hit a pair of free throws with 2:34 left in the game. The only other score would come with 28 seconds left on the clock when McPhillips hit a trey off an assist from Maeda.

COLLEGE OF ST. MARY GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
The Bobcats shot better than the Flames in all categories. From the floor, the 'Cats made 28 of 71 for 39.4% which included making 10 of 23 from long range for 43.5%. At the free throw line, Peru State went 12 of 19 for 63.2%. CSM made 16 of 57 field goal tries for 28.1% and connected on only 2 of 12 from behind the arc for 16.7%. At the charity stripe, the Flames made 9 of 16 for 56.3%.
 
Peru State grabbed 47 boards compared to 37 rebounds for the College of St. Mary. The Bobcats more than doubled up the Flames in assists as they finished with 18 dimes compared to just eight for CSM.

 
There were a lot of turnovers in the contest as the Flames had 27 – nine more than the 'Cats. Peru State blocked four shots while CSM had three. The Bobcats nabbed 15 steals with the Flames finishing with 11.
 
Peru Individual Statistics
 
Two Bobcats finished in double figures with Marsh-Contreras leading all scorers with 25 points on 10 of 22 shooting. Cudney added 17 points on 6 of 9 shooting. Braxton finished the game with seven points while Tichy added six. Ten Bobcat players scored in the contest.
 
Cudney tied for game-high honors with ten rebounds while Marsh-Contreras grabbed eight. Braxton finished the game with five boards.
 
Braxton had a game-high four assists with McPhillips and Marsh-Contreras each dishing out three assists.
 
Cudney blocked two shots with Bruning and Keaundra Washington (Omaha) each blocking one.
 
Braxton had a game-high four steals with Kirkwood and McPhillips each nabbing two.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
When the Bobcats return from a well-deserved break, they will face a complete conference schedule to begin 2020.
 
On Saturday, January 4, Peru State will host Mount Mercy (Iowa) at noon in the Basketball Alumni Reunion Classic. The Mustangs are 4-8 on the year and are 1-6 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart).
 
The 'Cats will then hit the road for two straight games with the first being on Wednesday, January 8, in Des Moines. Peru State will take on Grand View at 5:30 p.m. The Vikings are 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the Heart. In the most recent NAIA DI Coaches' Top 25 Poll, Grand View was ranked 23^rd.
 
Then, on Saturday, January 11, the 'Cats will make another Iowa trip – an even longer one – when they go to Oskaloosa to take on William Penn at 2 p.m. Presently, the Statesmen are 7-3 on the year and 5-2 in conference play. William Penn was receiving votes in the latest coaches' poll.