(Peru, Neb.) – It was not the outcome that was hoped for or expected for the Peru State women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon.
After having some good performances on the season, the Bobcats were challenged as the William Penn (WPU) (Iowa) Statesmen came to the Al Wheeler Activity Center and handed the 'Cats their first defeat in conference play.
The Statesmen won 77-52 after never trailing after the first few minutes of the contest.
William Penn picked up their first win of the season and are 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) North Division. Peru State fell to 3-3 on the season and are 1-1 in conference play.
First Quarter Action
Mackenzie Shupe (Lenexa, Kan.) made one of two free throws to put Peru State up 1-0 with just 27 seconds off the clock. A pair of WPU free throws gave the Statesmen the lead before Shupe then was credited with a trey off an assist from
Alyssa Marsh-Contreras (Omaha) to tie the score at 4 apiece at the 7:27 mark.
The Statesmen would rattle off seven-straight points and never trailed again in the contest. WPU would lead 20-12 at the end of the quarter.
Mackenzie Shupe goes up for a hoop early in the contest. Shupe led the team with 17 points.
Second Quarter Action
After the Statesmen scored the first two points of the second quarter, Marsh-Contreras hit a bucket in the paint. Later, Marsh-Contreras would dish the ball off to
Ellie Bream (Waverly) who put in a bucket to pull the 'Cats within six at 22-15 with 8:09 left in the half.
William Penn would eventually pull out to a 13-point lead twice in the quarter and led by the same amount at halftime 37-24.
Third Quarter Action
The Statesmen started the half with a trey to extend their lead to 16. Shupe would get a bucket and then Marsh-Contreras found
Dayna Dewitt (Mansfield, Texas) who put in a bucket in the paint to make the score 40-28 with 7:41 on the clock.
Later, Shupe would make three free throws after being fouled on the shot to pull Peru State to within 11 at 44-33 at the 6:10 mark. That would be as close as the Bobcats would be in the quarter.
William Penn would extend their lead to 22 after 30 minutes as they led 61-39.
Fourth Quarter Action
Libby Baumert (Plattsmouth) hit a bucket off an assist from
Maddy Duncan (Hamburg, Iowa) to start the fourth quarter. Duncan then scored a bucket herself off an assist from Marsh-Contreras to cut the deficit to 18.
The Statesmen would respond with eight-straight points which deflated the Bobcats' hopes.
WILLIAM PENN GAME BOOK
Team Statistics
WPU made 28 of 64 field goals for 43.8% which included hitting 11 of 31 from long range for 35.5%. At the free throw line, the Statesmen went 10 of 18 for 55.6%. Peru State struggled from the floor as they connected on just 18 of 60 for 30% and were more challenged from long distance making just 4 of 21 for 19%. The Bobcats did make 12 of 17 free throws for 70.6%.
Peru State had a slight edge in rebounding as they grabbed 40 boards compared to 35 for the Statesmen. WPU dished out 15 assists while the 'Cats had 13.
The Bobcats committed 16 turnovers which WPU turned into 16 points. William Penn finished with ten turnovers.
The 'Cats blocked four shots while WPU blocked one. The Statesmen tripled up the Bobcats in steals as they grabbed nine.
Ellie Bream challenges the Statesmen defenders. Bream finished with nine points in the game.
Peru Individual Statistics
Shupe was the only Bobcat to finish in double figures as she scored 17 points. Bream added nine points while Dewitt and Marsh-Contreras each had six.
Duncan and Marsh-Contreras each had seven rebounds while Bream and Julie Miller
(Easton, Kan.) each grabbed five.
Marsh-Contreras dished out a game-high eight assists while Duncan and
McKenzie Witt (Falls City) each handed out two.
Dewitt and Miller were each credited with two blocks. Duncan, Marsh-Contreras, and Witt each grabbed one steal.
Upcoming Contests
Peru State will look to rebound at home next Tuesday night when they host Grand View (Iowa) in a women's/men's double header. The women's game with the Vikings is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. Grand View has started the season with a 6-1 mark and are 2-0 in the Heart play.
The Bobcats will then be off until December 2 when they are scheduled to travel to Oskaloosa, Iowa, to take on William Penn beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The next home game is then scheduled for December 5 when MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) visits the Al Wheeler Activity Center.
