(Dubuque, Iowa)- Peru State used a blistering shooting performance and a series of timely second-half runs to pull away from Clarke (Iowa) for a 99-84 road victory on Saturday afternoon at the Kehl Center in Dubuque, Iowa. The Bobcats led most of the way, built the margin to as many as 24 points after halftime and sealed the outcome when Isaiah Poindexter buried a 3-pointer to make it 99-79 with just over a minute remaining.

The Bobcats were efficient from the opening tip, shooting 58.0 percent from the field (40 of 69) and 45.2 percent from 3-point range (14 of 31). Peru State also controlled the glass with a 37-32 rebounding edge and shared the ball effectively, finishing with 25 assists against only three turnovers. Clarke shot 45.6 percent from the floor and 42.3 percent from beyond the arc but could not match the visitors' offensive balance and execution.

Peru State established control in the first quarter, pushing a one-possession lead into double digits behind its perimeter shooting. A 3-pointer by Ty Griggs gave the Bobcats a 9-6 lead at the 16:58 mark, and another triple from Quentin Wright later in the quarter stretched the advantage to 33-27. As the period wound down, Griggs finished a layup to extend the margin to 47-33, and the Bobcats carried a 47-40 lead into halftime.

The Bobcats wasted little time rebuilding separation after the break. Wright opened the second-quarter scoring with another 3-pointer to make it 54-44, sparking a surge that Clarke never fully answered. Griggs pushed the lead further with a 3-pointer at the 12:26 mark for a 64-49 cushion as Peru State consistently found clean looks within its half-court offense. The Bobcats' ball movement and spacing led to open shots across the lineup and kept Clarke chasing defensively.

Midway through the second half, Peru State delivered its decisive push. A layup by Everett Stubblefield helped highlight a stretch in which the Bobcats' lead ballooned to 86-62 with 6:20 remaining. Peru State continued to generate points at the rim and from the perimeter while limiting Clarke to one shot on many possessions, and the hosts were unable to string together the stops necessary to make a serious run at the deficit.

Victor Lado led a balanced Bobcats attack with a team-high 18 points to go with four rebounds in 22 minutes. Wright and Griggs each added 17 points; Wright knocked down five 3-pointers and handed out four assists, while Griggs hit three 3-pointers, dished four assists and collected two steals in 28 minutes. Denim Johnson provided another scoring lift with 16 points, including two 3-pointers and a blocked shot in 20 minutes off the bench, and Poindexter's late 3-pointer capped the team's 14th made triple of the afternoon.