(Peru, Neb.)- Peru State battled wire-to-wire on Saturday afternoon but ultimately fell 69–65 on the road to Grand View in a tightly contested Heart matchup.

The Bobcats came out strong, taking an early eight-point lead midway through the first half behind efficient shooting and active play on the glass. Victor Lado provided the early spark, scoring eight first-half points while Ashton Lovette knocked down a pair of threes to help Peru State take a 33–31 lead into the locker room.

Grand View responded early in the second half, using a series of defensive stops and paint touches to swing momentum back their way. Despite the Vikings building a double-digit lead, the Bobcats refused to go away. Lado caught fire after the break, pouring in 13 second-half points on his way to a game-high 21 points, going 8-of-10 from the field while adding five rebounds.

Peru State continued to generate answers across the lineup. Denim Johnson provided a strong two-way effort with eight points and seven rebounds, while Ty Griggs added eight points and four boards. Jamal Hollins brought energy off the bench, contributing six points, six rebounds, and two assists, and Everett Stubblefield II chipped in seven points.

Despite the balanced attack, the Bobcats struggled to slow Grand View's inside scoring in key moments and committed 15 turnovers, which proved costly down the stretch. Peru State cut the deficit to one possession multiple times in the final minutes, but Grand View held on at the free-throw line and secured the four-point win.

Peru State finished the night shooting 44.6 percent from the field and matched Grand View with 34 points in the paint