(Peru, Neb.)—The Peru State men's basketball team outlasted the Park Pirates 74-68 on Monday night. The Bobcats are now 13-5 overall and 8-4 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play while the Pirates fall to 5-12 and 3-9 in conference play.
 
Below is a breakdown of how the game went…
 
Both teams struggled to score early as it was 10-6 Bobcats after a Jibril Harris (Chicago) layup five minutes into the first half. Later in the first Park would cut the lead down to one trailing 14-13.
 
Then Peru State went on a big 12-0 run to take a 26-13 lead with around ten minutes to go in the first half. Contributing to the run were threes by David Wingett Jr. (Winnebago), Lorenzo Anderson (Lithonia, Ga.) and Sayvon Traylor (Atlanta). Anderson also had an old fashioned three-point play during the run.
 
The Bobcats would keep the Pirates at arm's length for most of the first half as they led by ten on multiple occasions down the stretch. Late in the first half the Bobcats were up 10, 36-26, after a Donzell Johnson (Bloomington, Ill.) three.
 
Park then closed the gap towards the end of the first half as they finished the half on a 8-3 run as they would trail by five 39-34 as the teams headed to the locker rooms.
 
Out of the break, Park would make it a one possession game after a dunk. Peru State then went on a 7-0 run to extend its lead back out to double digits, 46-36, after a Wingett Jr. three-pointer.
 
The Pirates twice more would get the game down to single digits, the latest they were down nine, 49-40, with about 15 minutes to play in the game. Park a little later in the half cut the deficit down to eight, 52-44, with 12 and change to play.
 
Peru State then went on a 8-1 run to take a 14-point, 60-46, lead with around ten minutes to play after Johnson knocked in a three. The Bobcats and the Pirates would struggle to score for the next few minutes as Peru State was holding on to a 64-52 lead with under five minutes to play.
 
Each time Park tried to cut the deficit Peru State came up with a big bucket. The Bobcats led 69-60 with two minutes to play in regulation. Park would get the deficit down to five, 73-68, but the comeback effort was too little too late as Peru State held on for the 74-68 win.
 
Peru State shot 24-of-52 from the field shooting 46.2%, 9-of-28 from the three-point line shooting 32.1% and 17-of-23 from the charity stripe shooting 73.9%.
 
Park shot 22-of-54 from the floor shooting 40.7%, 5-of-20 from beyond the arc shooting 25% and 19-of-26 from the line shooting 73.1%.
 
Peru State and Park tied for points in the paint with 28 each. Peru State outscored Park 19-8 in points off turnovers and 14-11 in bench points. Anderson and Wingett Jr. each had 17 points, Harris finished with 11 points and Johnson finished with nine
 
Wingett Jr. led the way in rebounds with eight and Man Man Baker (Aurora, Colo.) led the team with seven assists.
 
Peru State is at home this Thursday, January 19, against Mount Mercy. Tip-Off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.