(Peru, Neb.) – In a women's basketball game that no one had a double digit lead in the contest, Peru State was unable to get the victory in a non-conference game versus Bellevue.
 
With the 57-49 win for the Bruins, Bellevue improved to 5-4 overall and Peru State fell to 4-10 overall on the year.
 
The Bruins controlled the offensive glass grabbing 21 rebounds on that end compared to 11 for the 'Cats to help in getting the road victory.
 
First Quarter Action
 
Bellevue would strike first in the contest but the 'Cats would come right back after Dayna Dewitt (Mansfield, Texas) made a field goal.

 
The Bobcats would tie the game at 7-7 after Maddy Duncan (Hamburg, Iowa) made a layup. On the next possession, they would get their first lead at 9-7 when Sam Stewart (Mount Ayr, Iowa) stole and made a shot with 2:32 left to go in the first.
 
The Bobcats would lead after the first quarter when Duncan had a make off an offensive rebound with 27 seconds left in the period to put the score at 11-9.
 
Second Quarter Action
 
Stewart would get the scoring started for the Bobcats as she had a two-pointer coming off an assist from Dewitt to come within one of the Bruins at 14-13 with 9:02 left until halftime.
 
The 'Cats would take the lead 15-14 coming from Stewart's made field goal off the pass from Duncan with 8:24 remaining on the clock.
 
The Bruins went on a 6-0 run before Duncan made two free throws to stop the Bruins run. Bellevue led 20-17 with 5:19 on the clock.
 
Stewart made a basket off a pass from Adreal Bell (Independence, Mo.) to get within four at 26-22 with just over two minutes remaining until intermission. This would be the last time the Bobcats would score in the half.
 
Peru State trailed 29-22 at the end of 20 minutes of play.
 
Third Quarter Action
 
Stewart picked the pocket of another Bruin player and made a two-point shot to cut the lead to five in the opening minutes of the quarter.
 
After the Bruins scored on the other end, the Bobcats answered when Dewitt made a shot off an assist from Duncan to cut the lead back to five once again.
 
The scoring would go back and forth. The Bruins would lead 37-28, which would be the largest lead for either team. The 'Cats answered off a Duncan made three coming off the pass from Dewitt to cut the lead back to six at 37-31 with 4:47 remaining.
 
Stewart scored four straight points for the Bobcats. The first coming from an offensive put back and the second on a made field goal off an assist from Duncan to trail by only two points 37-35 with 2:10 left.
 
Ellie Bream (Waverly) made one of two free throws to trail by one 37-36 with 1:06 on the clock.
 
Bellevue would score five straight points to end the 30 minutes of play to take a six-point advantage heading into the final ten minutes of the game.
 
Fourth Quarter Action

 
Bream made a two-point shot to get the final ten minutes of the game started for the Bobcats.
 
The Bobcats cut the Bruins' lead to four after Duncan made two free throws with a score of 46-42 with 5:53 remaining in the contest.
 
Mackenzie Shupe (Lenexa, Kan.) made a field goal off the pass from Duncan to once again be within four of the Bruins at 50-46 with just under three minutes remaining in the game.
 
That would be as close as the Bobcats would come while Bellevue iced the game.

BELLEVUE GAME BOOK
 
Team Stats
 
Bellevue made 21 of 71 fields goals for 29.6% which included 4 of 31 from long range for 12.9%. The Bruins connected on 11 of 20 free throws for 55%. Peru State shot a little better by making 19 of 60 field goals for 31.7% which included 2 of 14 from the three-point line for 14.3%. The Bobcats at the charity stripe made 9 of 14 for 64.3%.
 
Bellevue held a slight rebounding edge grabbing 45 compared to 42 for Peru State, but of the 45, 21 were offensive for the Bruins. The 'Cats only had 11 on that end.
 
The Bruins dished out 14 assists compared to just eight for Peru State.
 
Bellevue had eight steals while the 'Cats had six. The Bruins had three blocks as Peru State had two.
 
The Bruins had 11 turnovers while the Bobcats turned the ball over 18 times.
 
Peru State Individual Stats
 
Duncan had a team-high 17 points. Only one other Bobcat was in double figures as Stewart added 14.
 
Bream was tied with a game-high 10 boards while Dewitt, Julie Miller (Easton, Kan.), and Duncan each grabbed seven.
 
Duncan had a team-high four assists in the contest.
 
Shupe added a game-high three steals.
 
Dewitt and Miller each registered a block in the contest.
 
Upcoming Games
 
The women's basketball team will be back to playing inside the conference when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa, to take on Grand View University (10-2, 6-1) on Jan. 13 with the tip off at 5:30 p.m.
 
The Bobcats will be back at home Jan. 16 as they host on Clarke University (9-1, 6-1) with the tip off at 12 p.m.