(Lamoni, Iowa)- Peru State men's basketball dropped a Heart matchup on Wednesday night, falling 74–57 to Graceland inside the Morden Center. The Bobcats started strong but couldn't slow a balanced Yellowjacket attack as the game progressed.
 
Peru State jumped out to an early 5–2 lead behind a layup from Victor Lado and a three-pointer from Christian Tidiane, but Graceland responded with a run that pushed the Yellowjackets ahead for good midway through the opening half. The Bobcats trailed 37–32 at the break after knocking down six first-half threes and staying within reach through solid ball movement and paint production.
 
Graceland steadily extended its advantage in the second half behind standout performances from Cole Bowen and Tyson Shaw. The Bobcats continued to battle but were unable to recover as the Yellowjackets pulled away late.
 
Lado led Peru State with 12 points and 8 rebounds, going 6-of-9 from the field. Caleb Iheukwu added 9 points, including a pair of threes, while Everett Stubblefield chipped in 9 points and 3 assists, all from beyond the arc. Denim Johnson provided a spark off the bench with 8 points, all in the second half.
 
Defensively, Christian Tidiane posted 3 blocks and hit two early threes before foul trouble limited his minutes. Jamal Hollins added 5 rebounds and a team-high 4 points at the free-throw line.
 
Peru State shot 40.7% from the field, including 40% from three, but struggled at the free-throw line (5-of-9) and was outrebounded 35–29. Graceland capitalized on second-chance opportunities and points in the paint, finishing with 42 interior points and 21 second-chance points.