FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Relations Contact:
Andy Pulverenti, sports information director, (660) 831-4230, pulverentia@moval.edu
Jordanne Walker, sports information intern, (660)831-4230, walkerj@moval.edu
MVC BASKETBALL TEAMS SPLIT WITH PERU STATE SATURDAY
Marshall, Mo. (February 9, 2013)- The Missouri Valley College men’s and
women’s basketball played their first home games in over two weeks as they
welcomed in Heart of America Athletic Conference foe Peru State to the Burns
Athletic Complex Saturday afternoon. The Lady Vikings ended a four game losing
streak with a 58-52 win. The men’s team lost a tough back and forth game with
Peru State 73-69.
Wearing special pink uniforms for the game the Lady Vikings got out early, scoring
the game’s first four points to take an early lead. Peru fought back and led by as
many as three points in the early stages of the first half at 13-10 with just under
14-minutes remaining until halftime. From there the Lady Vikings took control of
the contest after a 7-1 run that was capped off by Junior Forward Brielle Martinez
(Hamilton, N.J.) scoring two of her six points to give MVC a 17-14 lead with just
under 10-minutes remaining in the first half. Peru cut the lead back to one point
at 17-16, but MVC pushed back, and built up a seven point lead in the final
minutes of the half, before eventually going into the locker room with a 28-24
advantage. The Lady Vikings shot 38-percent in the first half and kept Peru to just
27-percent from the field while committing nine turnovers.
The Lady Vikings wasted little time extending their lead in the early moments of
the first half, as Senior Guard Sami Jackson (Barnard, Mo.) sank a three of her
eight points on the first shot of the half for MVC, and Freshman Guard Rayna
Smith (St. Louis, Mo.) extended the lead to 33-24 after scoring two of her seven
points. The Lady Vikings eventually pushed their lead to 37-26 with just under 15minutes remaining in the game, but Peru scored five straight points to cut it back
down to 37-31 at the 13-minute mark. The two teams traded baskets over the
next eight minutes and MVC held a 48-38 advantage with just under five minutes
remaining in the game. Peru responded and scored six unanswered points to
make it a 48-44 MVC lead, and cut it even close to 53-52 with just over one
minute remaining. The Lady Vikings responded and hit five free throws down the
stretch while Peru’s last four possessions included two missed shots and two
turnovers, paving the way for MVC to break a four-game losing streak and win 5852.
Leading the way for MVC was Junior Forward Ebone Brown (Lemoore, Calif.) as
the only Lady Viking in double-figures. Brown finished with 15 points and three
rebounds off the bench. The Lady Vikings forced Peru to turn the ball over 21
times. MVC outrebounded Peru by a 46-44 margin, and held Peru to just 27percent shooting in the game.
With the win MVC improves to 7-19 overall and 4-10 in HAAC play. Peru falls to
11-15 on the season and 6-8 in conference action.
In the men’s game, the Vikings found themselves down early, but Junior Law
Brown (Chicago, Ill.) brought MVC back with his first basket of the game. The first
tie came with just under 17-minutes to go on a Freshman Jordan Epps
(Springfield, Mo.) jumper making it 7-7. The two teams traded baskets for the
next two minutes until Sophomore Kevin Stander (Republic, Mo.) hit a three
pointer to put the Vikings up 12-11 with 14-minutes left in the half. MVC put
together a 10-4 run to take a seven point lead with 9:35 remaining in the half.
Peru was able to gradually chip away at the Vikings lead putting together an 8-0
run late in the half to take a seven point lead with just minutes remaining. Peru
stayed a head of the Vikings to finish the half and lead 38-39. The Vikings forced
Peru into eight first half turnovers and shot 46 percent from the field.
To start the second half the Vikings came out to a fast start taking the lead after a
three pointer by Epps. Midway through the half the Vikings put together a 10-3
run to take a 10 point lead with 9:36 remaining. The 10 point advantage was the
largest lead for the Vikings in the game. Peru responded with a 12-4 run to tie the
game 67-67 with 3:35 remaining. Stander hit a free throw to put the Vikings back
up by one, but that was the Vikings last lead of the game. Peru held the Vikings to
just one point in the game’s final three minutes to take the victory 73-69.
Leading the way for MVC was the HAAC’s leading scorer, Epps, who had 20 points
and six assists. Also in double-figures for the Vikings was Stander who had 13 on
4 of 5 shooting from the field. The Vikings forced Culver to turn the ball over 21
times and received 27 points off the bench.
The loss drops MVC to 9-17 overall and 4-10 in HAAC play. Peru State improves to
11-14 overall and 4-10 in the conference.
Next up for the MVC basketball teams is a home doubleheader with Central
Methodist University Thursday Feb. 14 at the Burns Athletic Complex. Women’s
game time is set for 5:30 p.m. and the men’s game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Back on Jan. 10 the Lady Vikings fell to Central Methodist in Fayette, Mo. 64-57,
but the men’s team knocked off CMU 81-70. CMU’s women’s team is currently
receiving votes in this week’s NAIA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
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.