Box Score (Peru, Neb.)- Peru State Men's Basketball forced overtime on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer but came up just short in a 76-73 loss to Benedictine (Kan.) on Monday night at the Al Wheeler Activity Center in Peru, Neb. Benedictine's Preston Reynolds sank two free throws with 18 seconds remaining in the extra session to break a 73-72 Peru State lead and provide the final margin in a tightly contested nonconference matchup.
The Bobcats had the final answer in regulation. Trailing 66-63 in the closing seconds, Peru State worked the ball to sophomore guard Caleb Iheukwu, who drilled a 3-pointer at the horn to tie the game at 66-66 and send it to overtime. The shot capped a second-half push in which the Bobcats erased a six-point halftime deficit after Benedictine took a 39-33 lead into the locker room.
Peru State outscored the Ravens 33-27 after halftime to force the extra period, leaning on timely perimeter shooting and pressure defense. The Bobcats grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and turned up their activity in the passing lanes, finishing with eight steals and forcing 14 Benedictine turnovers. A 3-pointer by Ashton Lovette with 11:04 left in the second half gave Peru State a 56-50 advantage, one of the team's largest leads of the night, before Benedictine responded with a run of its own to pull the game back to a one-possession contest down the stretch.
In overtime, the teams traded baskets and momentum. Lovette struck again from beyond the arc, knocking down a 3-pointer with 57 seconds remaining to put the Bobcats up 73-72. Benedictine answered on the ensuing possessions, drawing a foul that sent Reynolds to the line, where he converted both free throws to push the visitors back in front 76-73. Peru State had one final chance in the closing seconds, but the Bobcats were unable to get the tying shot to fall.
Lovette led Peru State with 15 points, going 3-for-10 from 3-point range and a perfect 4-for-4 at the free-throw line while adding three rebounds and two steals in 33 minutes. Guard Quentin Wright provided an efficient scoring spark with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-2 from deep and 2-of-2 at the line, while logging 41 minutes. Iheukwu's clutch 3-pointer highlighted a balanced Bobcat effort that saw the team finish with 14 assists on 28 made field goals and nine made 3-pointers overall.
Team-wide, the Bobcats finished 28-for-64 from the field (43.8%) and 9-for-27 from 3-point range (33.3%), while converting 80.0% of their free throws (8-for-10). Peru State narrowly trailed Benedictine 31-29 on the glass but held a 13-6 edge in offensive rebounds and recorded more steals, 8-5. The Bobcats also finished with fewer turnovers than the Ravens, 11-14, helping them stay within striking distance against a Benedictine squad that shot 57.4% from the floor and 81.8% from the line.
