VIKING BASKETBALL TEAMS KNOCKED OFF BY PERU STATE SATURDAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Relations Contact:
Andy Pulverenti
sports information director
VIKING BASKETBALL TEAMS KNOCKED OFF BY PERU STATE SATURDAY
Marshall, Mo. (January 5, 2012)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball teams traveled to Peru, Neb. for Heart of America Athletic Conference matchups with Peru State College.  The Lady Vikings fell to Peru State 65-53 while the men's team lost a tough game to Peru State 86-79.
 After scoring the game's first points, off a Senior Forward Gabi Morales (Bakersfield, Calif.) two-point field goal to open the game, the Lady Vikings found themselves down by five after a 7-0 run by Peru State.  The Lady Vikings responded and got back into the game after Senior Guard Lindsi Jackson (Barnard, Mo.) scored two of her eight points at the 11-minute mark to make it an 11-10 Peru State lead.  The Lady Bobcats would take control of the half from there, going on a 13-2 run over a nearly seven minute stretch to put that Lady Vikings down by double-digits.  From there, the two teams traded baskets, and the Lady Vikings went into the halftime break down 30-19.
The Lady Vikings struggled to get within single-digits of Peru State in the second half.  The Lady Bobcats never led by more than 16 points, but the Lady Vikings could never get back to within 11 points in the 65-53 victory for Peru.
Leading the way for MVC was Junior Forward Brielle Martinez (Hamilton, N.J.) in her second game of the season with 13 points and three rebounds.  Morales finished with her second-straight double-digit rebounding game, pulling down 10 rebounds with four points.  The Lady Vikings held Peru State to just 29 percent shooting, while forcing 17 turnovers.  MVC also had 32 points off the bench.
The loss drops the Lady Vikings to 4-12 overall and 1-3 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play.  The Lady Bobcats improve to 6-10 on the season and 2-3 in conference play.
The Missouri Valley men's team and Peru State traded baskets through the early goings of the first half.  The Vikings eventually took a 23-18 lead off a Senior James Pope (St. Petersburg, Fla.)  two-point field goal at the seven minute mark.  Peru then went on an 18-2 run over the next five minutes to take an 11-point lead.  Peru took 43-30 lead into halftime.  The Vikings shot 50-percent in the first half, and forced six Peru State turnovers.
Peru State kept a double-digit lead through most of the second half until MVC got to within nine points around the three minute mark off a made free throw by Freshman Brody Thompson (Republic, Mo.).  The Vikings eventually shortened the Peru lead to only four points with 44-seconds to play after a Kevin Stander field goal, but that is as close the Vikings would get, as Peru would hold on for the 86-79.
Leading the way for MVC was Freshman Jordan Epps (Springfield, Mo.) who finished with a game-high 28 points.  Also in double-digits for MVC was Pope with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Senior Michael Connor (Ft. Worth, Texas) had 14 points and five rebounds.  The Vikings shot 47- percent in the game and forced 14 Peru turnovers.  The Vikings also went 17 of 22 from the free throw line.
The loss drops MVC to 5-11 overall and 0-4 in the HAAC.  Peru improves to 7-8 overall and 1-4 in the conference.
Up next for the men's and women's basketball teams is a road trip to Fayette, Mo. and a double-header with Central Methodist University Thursday evening.  Women's game  time is 5:30 p.m., men's game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.  The CMU women's team is ranked No. 25.
ABOUT MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE
Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge‐based global society. MVC offers over 40 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and 13 sports. The most popular majors include education and business, and the newest majors are nursing, graphic design, dance, and hospitality/tourism management. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831‐4000 or visit
www.moval.edu.