The Basics
Final: Evangel 66, Park 61 | Final Stats
Records: Evangel (12-4, 5-2); Peru State (8-9, 3-4)
Site: Al Wheeler Activity Center

PERU, Neb. – A complete team effort from lifted a short-handed Evangel men's basketball squad to a 66-61 victory over Peru State at the Al Wheeler Activity Center Saturday afternoon, as the Valor improved to 7-2 in true road contests this season.

Despite missing a pair of starters from its normal rotation, Evangel rode a 23-point afternoon from Cade Coffman and key contributions from Ike Egwu and Autry Acord down the stretch to seal the victory.

Evangel's defense played a starring role in the closing minutes as well, limiting the Bobcats to 1-of-8 shooting and three turnovers over the final six minutes of the contest.

Coffman, who moved into sole possession of the No. 9 spot on EU's career three-point field goals list (173), connected on 5-of-13 tries from beyond the arc and matched a career high with five steals. The duo of Egwu and Acord combined to score EU's final nine points after the Bobcats closed to within a single point with just under seven minutes left on the clock.

Coffman teamed up with fellow senior Edriel Martinborough to total 37 of Evangel's 66 points, including 14 of the Valor's first 20 points of the afternoon. EU built an early 13-point advantage just seven minutes into the contest, only to see Peru State battle back to score 15 of the next 17 points to draw even at 22-22 at the 7:58 mark.

But Coffman drained the go-ahead three-pointer with 5:40 to play in the half, and Evangel would hold the lead for the duration, despite several comeback bids from the Bobcats.

After helping his club take a 36-32 lead into intermission, Coffman scored eight-straight Evangel points in a span of just 76 seconds to boost the Valor cushion to nine points early in the second stanza. EU led 48-41 on a Chandler Oriakhi bucket in the paint, but the Bobcats responded with six unanswered points to slice the margin to one point.

Martinborough gave the Valor some much-needed breathing room with back-to-back baskets, but Peru State once again had an answer to cut its deficit to 53-52 on a Henry Tanksley layup at the 8:36 mark. Two Jace Coffie free throws and a Coffman bucket momentarily extended the EU lead to five points, before Ajantae Hogan's three with 6:37 to play pulled PSC to within one point once more.

From there, the Evangel defense and the tandem of Egwu and Acord combined forces to carry Evangel to the finish line. Egwu knocked down back-to-back baskets and one of two free throw attempts to make it a six-point game, as the Valor defense shut down the Bobcat attack, holding the home club scorless for more than four minutes.

Hogan drilled another trey to end PSC's drought, and Skyler Wilson hit a pair of charity tosses with 51 seconds left to bring the Bobcats to within one point for the fourth time in the second half.

But Egwu and Acord combined to sink four free throws down the stretch and the EU defense kept the Bobcats off the scoreboard from that point forward to lock up the Valor's ninth victory away from home this season.

LOOKING AHEAD
Evangel will host Missouri Valley for a Wednesday (Jan. 12) evening Heart Conference matchup at the Ashcroft Center.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.

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