(Peru, Neb.)—The Peru State men's basketball team defeated Missouri Baptist 85-80 in the Heart/KCAC/AMC Classic Saturday night. The Bobcats improve 4-1 overall, and the Spartans fall to 3-3 on the season.
Below is a breakdown of how the game went…
It was a slow start for each team as the Bobcats held a slim 6-2 lead after Jibril Harris
(Chicago) hit a free throw. The Spartans would cut the lead to one after a made three.
The Bobcats then extended their lead out to four after a dunk by Lorenzo Anderson
(Lithonia, Ga.). Another three by Missouri Baptist had them back within one 9-8. Neither team could separate as it was a back-and-forth affair.
The game was tied at 16 apiece with around eight minutes to go. Donzell Johnson
(Bloomington, Ill.) extended the Bobcat lead out to four with a three pointer and then a little later a free throw. Missouri Baptist then went on a 5-0 run to take a 21-20 lead with around six minutes left in the first half.
Neither team could get much of a lead in the first, then the Bobcats went on an 8-2 run to take a 32-24 lead after an Anderson made layup. Peru State took a seven-point lead into the break up 36-29.
The Spartans out of the break would get the lead cut to four down 38-34, Harris drilled a three and a layup by Ajantae Hogan
(Lincoln) had the Peru State lead back out to 11 43-34. Peru State kept Missouri Baptist at a comfortable distance in the beginning of the second half as they lead 48-36 after Hogan hit a layup.
Missouri Baptist then went on a 15-2 run to take a 51-50 lead with around 12 minutes to go. Anderson then hit a huge three-point bucket to regain the lead. SJ Allison Jr.
(Dallas) then hit a three as the Bobcats were now up 56-51.
It was a three-point barrage as the Spartans then hit a three to trail only by two, then Allison Jr. hit another three to make the score 59-54. The Spartans with just above nine minutes to go cut the lead to one as they trailed 59-58.
Layups by Harris and Anderson extended the Bobcat lead back out to five but that would not last long as an old fashioned three-point play had the Bobcats up by only two points.
Peru State extended the lead to 69-63 but that would not last long as Missouri Baptist punched back each time as they hit a three to get within three. Allison Jr. with around six minutes to go put the Bobcats up 74-68 after a three.
Missouri Baptist again cut the lead to three after a three pointer of its own as they trailed 74-71. Peru State stretched its lead back out to five after a layup by Johnson. The Spartans cut the lead to two 78-76 after an old fashioned three-point play.
Harris then hit a huge three as the Bobcats again extended their lead 81-76. The Spartans cut it to three twice more with around two minutes remaining. The Spartans had a look at a three with nine seconds left but they missed and Johnson knocked in two huge free throws as the Bobcats held on for the 85-80 win.
Peru State was 34-of-72 from the field shooting 47.2%, shooting 8-of-25 from beyond the arc shooting 32% and they were 9-of-13 from the line shooting 69.2%.
Missouri Baptist shot 35-of-64 from the field shooting 54.7%, they were also 8-of-25 from beyond the arc shooting 32% and were 2-of-3 from the line shooting 66.7%.
All five starters were in double-figures as Anderson led the way with 23, Harris notched a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, Hogan had 16 points, Allison Jr had 11 and Johnson had 10.
Anderson and Johnson each had five assists.
Peru State is back at home next weekend Friday, November 18, against Ozark Christian College. Tip-Off is set for 7:00 p.m.
