(Peru, Neb.) – All ten players on the Peru State women's basketball team scored in their 66-52 win over Mount Mercy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Saturday.
 
The win, which was the ninth of the season in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) which matches the most wins by the 'Cats in conference play. The last time Peru State won nine Heart games was during the 2012-13 season. Overall, the Bobcats are 11-15 on the season and 9-13 in the Heart. The 11 wins matches the most wins since the 2014-15 campaign.
 
Mount Mercy fell to 5-22 overall and are 2-20 in conference play.
 
First Quarter Action
 
Giovanna Silva (Brazilia, Brazil) hit the first bucket of the game with just 18 seconds off the clock. Two minutes later, Dayna Dewitt (Mansfield, Texas) hit a bucket to put the score at 4-0. The Mustangs would score the next six points to take the lead at 6-4.

 
Dewitt would make one of two free throws and Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) hit a bucket after grabbing an offensive rebound to put the 'Cats back up 7-6. Mount Mercy would get a two-pointer in the point to regain the lead at 8-7 with 4:14 to go in the first quarter.
 
A pair of free throws by Nytasia Braxton (Camden, N.J.) would put the Bobcats ahead for good at 9-8 with 3:55 left in the first stanza.
 
Maddy McPhillips (Omaha) would make one of two free throws at the end of the quarter to give Peru State a 12-8 lead.
 
Second Quarter Action
 
Dewitt would hit a pair of free throws to start the scoring in the second quarter. Silva followed with a bucket to extend the Peru State lead to 16-8 with 8:13 left in the first half.
 
After the Mustangs hit a bucket, Allison Tichy (Bellevue) hit a trey off an assist from Brooke Maeda (Honolulu) and then Maeda drained one to give the 'Cats their largest lead of 12 at that point of 22-10 with 6:33 left in the half.
 
Later, Mount Mercy would get back within six at 25-19 before Cudney would sink a pair of free throws and Alyssa Marsh-Contreras (Omaha) hit one of two charity tosses at the end of the half to put the 'Cats up 28-19.
 
Third Quarter Action

 
A bucket by Dewitt off an assist from Maeda and one by Marsh-Contreras started the third quarter to extend the Bobcat lead to 32-19.
 
Later, at the 6:45 mark, Cudney hit a bucket off an assist from Cudney to give the Bobcats their largest lead of the time at 37-21. Peru State would hold onto the double-digit lead throughout the rest of the quarter and extended it to 17 at 48-31 when Silva hit a bucket in the paint. A Mustang would hit a trey to end the quarter with Peru State leading 48-34.
 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
Back-to-back buckets by Dewitt with the second one coming off an assist from Maeda put the Bobcat lead to 18 at 52-34. Cudney would then feed Maeda who hit a trey to give Peru State the largest lead to that point.
 
Later, with 3:37 left in the contest, Tichy hit a trey off an assist from Anjanea Simms (St. Louis, Mo.) to give Peru State a comfortable cushion at 61-37. Mount Mercy would cut the lead down to 14 by the end of the contest, but the 'Cats still prevailed with the 66-52 win.

MOUNT MERCY GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
From the floor, Mount Mercy did out-shoot the Bobcats, but the 'Cats had a difference at the free throw line. Peru State hit 21 of 68 field goals for 30.9% and actually were better from long range hitting 8 of 25 for 32%. At the charity stripe, the Bobcats made 16 of 30 for 53.3%. The Mustangs hit 19 of 54 field goal attempts for 35.2% and connected on 5 of 12 from distance for 41.7%. At the free throw line, Mount Mercy made 9 of 19 for 47.4%.
 
Peru State had a big edge in rebounding as they grabbed 51 boards compared to 41 for the Mustangs. The Bobcats doubled up Mount Mercy in assists as they finished with 14 while the Mustangs had seven.
 

Both teams had a lot of turnovers as the Mustangs finished with 27 while Peru State had 18. The Bobcats finished with six blocks and 13 steals. Mount Mercy had two blocks and nine thefts.
 
Peru Individual Statistics
 
It was a very balanced scoring effort for the Bobcats as all ten players scored. Dewitt led the team with 12 points while Marsh-Contreras finished with 11. Tichy added nine and Braxton contributed eight.
 
Cudney had a game-high 12 rebounds with Silva adding nine. Maeda, the shortest player on the court, added six rebounds as did Simms.
 
Maeda dished out six assists while Cudney and Simms finished with two.
 
Dewitt blocked three shots while Cudney blocked two. Simms had the other block.
 
Braxton led the team with three steals while Cudney, Maeda, and Dewitt each had two grabs.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
Peru State has two remaining regular season contests – both at home. On Wednesday night, the 'Cats host Graceland (Iowa) at 5:30 p.m. The Yellowjackets are 4-25 overall and 1-22 in the Heart. It will be Corporate Sponsor Night and Senior Night for the Bobcat cheerleaders with recognitions occurring between the games.
 
On Saturday, February 29, William Penn (Iowa) will be the guests for a 2 p.m. tip. The Statesmen are 20-6 overall and 16-5 in conference play and are 18^th-ranked in the NAIA DI coaches' poll.
 
The Bobcats still have a mathematical chance of making the postseason play, but will need help to do so. Peru State will need to win both games and have Benedictine (Kan.) lose both contests to tie the Ravens for the eighth-seed which would then be determined by the conference tiebreaker.