Peru State men's basketball built an early lead and went into halftime in a one-possession game, but a decisive Central Methodist run after the break sent the Bobcats to an 81-65 road loss Saturday afternoon at Puckett Field House.

The Bobcats trailed just 42-40 at halftime after a strong opening 20 minutes, but Central Methodist controlled the second half with a 39-25 scoring advantage. The Eagles' efficiency and ball security proved to be the difference as they shot 46.9% from the field, went 16-for-19 at the foul line and turned the ball over only five times, compared with 16 turnovers for Peru State.

Quentin Wright led Peru State with 14 points and three assists while adding five rebounds as the Bobcats' perimeter attack fueled an early surge. After Ashton Lovette opened the game with a 3-pointer to make it 3-0, Wright twice answered Central Methodist baskets with 3s of his own — first tying the game at 6-6 and later pushing the Bobcats in front 14-9. Peru State piled up 40 first-half points and went into the locker room within one possession before a late Central Methodist layup gave the hosts the two-point halftime edge.

Peru State stayed in the game on the glass and from beyond the arc. The Bobcats finished with a 41-33 rebounding advantage and knocked down nine 3-pointers, including three from Christian Tidiane. Tidiane's long-range shooting helped the visitors hang around in the second half, and his 3-pointer with 14:24 remaining trimmed the deficit to 55-49. Forward Victor Lado gave the Bobcats a consistent interior presence, totaling 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting to go with a team-high eight rebounds.

Central Methodist, however, steadily pulled away by turning defense into offense and capitalizing at the free-throw line. The Eagles collected 11 steals and converted several Bobcat miscues into transition opportunities, outscoring Peru State 39-25 after halftime. A 3-pointer by Tyson Oghene early in the second half pushed the margin to 47-40, and as Peru State battled to close the gap, Central Methodist repeatedly answered. In the closing minutes, a 3-pointer from Isaiah Bonaparte stretched the lead to 78-63, effectively putting the game out of reach.

Overall, Peru State shot 24-for-58 (41.4%) from the field and 9-for-27 (33.3%) from 3-point range but was unable to take full advantage of its rebounding edge, in part due to the 16 turnovers and an 8-for-15 (53.3%) performance at the free-throw line. Central Methodist countered with balanced scoring and efficiency, finishing 30-for-64 from the floor and 5-for-18 from deep while hitting 84.2% of its foul shots.

The Bobcats closed the contest with a late layup from Isaiah Poindexter to cap the scoring at 81-65.