Box Score  
(Peru, Neb.)—The Peru State women's basketball team had a convincing 78-55 win over Graceland on Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats improve to 8-14 overall and 4-12 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play while the Yellowjackets fall to 9-13 overall and 4-12 in conference play.
 
Below is a breakdown of how the game went…
 
The Peru State women's basketball team has been stepping up defensively of late, but has led to some slow starting first quarters for both teams as the Bobcats were holding on to a 5-2 lead halfway through the first quarter after Maddy Duncan (Hamburg, Iowa) knocked down two free throws.
 
The Yellowjackets then went on an 8-2 run to take a 10-7 lead late in the first quarter. The Bobcats ended the first quarter on a 6-1 run to take a 13-11 lead going into the second. Contributing to the run were baskets by Julie Miller (Easton, Kan.), Josiee Sobotka (Tobias) and free throws by Sam Stewart (Mount Ayr, Iowa).
 
Peru State went on a 7-0 run to start the second quarter to take a 20-11 lead after a jump shot from Duncan. Peru State held Graceland scoreless for the first six minutes of the second quarter. The Yellowjackets did not score until there was 4:30 to play in the half.
 
The Bobcats finished the half on a 10-4 run to take a 12-point 30-18 lead going into halftime. Contributing to the run were baskets by Stewart, Hailey Ingram (Omaha) and Sobotka.
 
Peru State was up 38-23 after Sobotka knocked in a three pointer with around seven minutes to play in the third quarter. Ingram then hit a three as the Bobcats were leading 41-25 with five minutes left in the third.
 
Graceland cut the lead down to 12 trailing 45-33 after a three with under five minutes to play in third. Peru State then went on a 9-2 run to take a 54-35 lead going into the final quarter of play.
 
Peru State opened the fourth quarter going up by 25 points after 11 points three threes by Danielle Howard (Uniontown, Kan.) to take a 65-40 lead with around 7:30 to play in the game.
 
The Bobcats never looked back as they ended the game with a big 78-55 win over the Yellowjackets.
 
Peru State shot 25-of-59 from the field shooting 42.4%, 8-of-19 from three shooting 42.1% and 20-of-26 from the charity stripe shooting 76.9%.
 
Graceland shot 23-of-65 from the field shooting 35.4%, 5-of-14 from deep shooting 35.7% and 4-of-9 from the line shooting 44.4%.
 
Graceland outscored Peru State 26-18 in the paint, Peru State outscored Graceland 15-9 in points off turnovers and 37-20 in bench points.
 
Sobotka led the way with 17 points, Howard finished with 14, Stewart had 12 and Ingram had 11. Stewart finished with a double-double adding a team high 11 rebounds. Olivia Williams (Minneapolis, Minn.) led the team in steals with four.
 
Peru State hits the road this Wednesday to face William Penn on Wednesday, February 1. Tip-Off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.