(Peru, Neb.) – The Culver-Stockton (C-SC) Wildcats women's basketball team came from seven down in the fourth quarter to secure a 75-70 win over the visiting Peru State Bobcats.
 
The Bobcats had a 64-57 lead with 6:05 to go in the game before C-SC went on a 9-0 run to take the lead. The game would then be tied at 66 and 68 before the Wildcats pulled away for the win.
 
Culver-Stockton improved to 13-7 overall with the win and more importantly to 9-5 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). Peru State fell to 7-11 on the year and 5-9 in conference play.
 
First Quarter Action

 
The Wildcats would lead the entire first quarter. C-SC scored the first five points before Alyssa Marsh-Contreras (Omaha) hit a trey off an assist from Giovanna Silva (Brazilia, Brazil) at the 8:24 mark. Culver-Stockton later would have their largest lead of the quarter of eight at 14-6 before Dayna Dewitt (Mansfield, Texas) hit a pair of free throws.
 
C-SC hit another bucket to lead again by eight at 16-8 before the Bobcats started to claw their way back into the game. Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) would make one of two free throws to make it 16-9 at the 1:01 point. Maddy McPhillips (Omaha) did the same 21 seconds later before hitting a three-pointer off an assist from Allison Tichy (Bellevue) to cut the deficit to three at the end of the quarter. C-SC led 16-13 after the first ten minutes.
 
Second Quarter Action
 
Culver-Stockton would maintain its lead in the second ten minutes while taking over three minutes off the clock. With 6:38 to go in the quarter, a bucket by Cudney, off an assist from Olivia Bell (Auckland, New Zealand) gave Peru State its first lead of the game at 23-22.
 
The game would then be tied at 24, 27, and 32 before Silva hit a bucket in the paint off an assist from McPhillips. Cudney followed with a bucket to extend the lead to four at 36-32. Cudney then fed Bell inside and the Bobcats now led 38-32 with 2:06 to go in the first half.
 
The score at the end of the half would see Peru State leading 40-36.
 

Third Quarter Action
 
The Bobcats would lead throughout the entire third quarter. A pair of free throws by Silva at the 3:56 point in the quarter gave Peru State its largest lead at 51-42.
 
C-SC would cut the lead down to two near the end of the third stanza before Cudney finished the quarter with a pair of free throws. Peru State led 57-53 after 30 minutes.
 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
With 6:05 to go in the game, Peru State led by seven at 64-57 after Silva hit a bucket off an assist from McPhillips. It was then that the Wildcats went on a 9-0 run to take the lead for the first time since the second quarter. Silva would tie it at 66-66 with a bucket before C-SC hit a pair of free throws.
 
Cudney would get a bucket to tie it at 68-68 off an assist from Bell. The Wildcats would score five straight points while the Bobcats could not connect before Reagan Kirkwood (Valley Falls, Kan.) made a pair of charity tosses to make it 73-70. Peru State would have to foul and the Wildcats hit both free throws for the final 75-70 score.
 
Team Statistics
 
The field goal shooting from the floor was almost identical. Culver-Stockton made 28 of 72 for 38.9% which included hitting 7 of 27 from long range for 25.9%. The Wildcats made 12 of 16 free throws for 75%. Peru State connected on 24 of 62 from the floor for 38.7% and were almost the same from behind the arc as they made 8 of 21 for 38.1%. The Bobcats had their best night at the charity stripe making 14 of 17 for 82.4%.
 
Culver-Stockton finished with a slight rebounding edge as they grabbed 44 boards compared to 41 for the Bobcats. Both teams dished out 18 assists.
 
The Wildcats had four fewer turnovers in the game as they finished with ten. C-SC blocked two shots while Peru State had one blocked shot. Culver-Stockton stole eight balls while the Bobcats finished with three.

CULVER-STOCKTON GAME BOOK
 
Peru Individual Statistics

 
Three Bobcats finished in double figures in scoring and were led by Marsh-Contreras who tied for game-high honors with 20 points. Silva and McPhillips each added 13.
 
Silva led all rebounders as she finished with 17 boards which matched a Peru State career-high. Cudney added six.
 
McPhillips dished out five assists while Cudney handed out four. Bell contributed three assists.
 
Marsh-Contreras was credited with the lone block for the Bobcats.
 
Silva, Cudney, and McPhillips were each credited with one steal.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
Peru State will be busy this coming week as they will play three contests. On Monday, January 27, the Bobcats will host Baker – another Wildcat team – at 5:30 p.m. Baker is at 8-10 on the season having won their last two games. The two teams are tied at 5-9 in Heart play.
 
Monday night's game will be Peru State's Coaches versus Cancer – Suits and Sneakers night as the Bobcats were not at home during the regular week. There will be a freewill donation instead of an admissions charge with all funds going to the American Cancer Society.
 
Then, the Bobcats face a pair of teams who are either ranked or receiving votes. On Thursday, January 30, Peru State will be in Olathe, Kan., to take on MidAmerica Nazarene at 5:30 p.m. The Pioneers have won four in a row and are 10-5 overall and 9-3 in conference play.
 
On the first day of February, Peru State will be heading to Dubuque, Iowa, to face Clarke at noon. The 21^st-ranked Pride are 16-4 on the year and are 10-4 in the Heart.