Wiley Leads the Way, Lifts Graceland Past Peru State in a Heart-Stopper

PERU, Neb. – The Graceland men's basketball team earned a crucial 79-76 victory on the road against Peru State in a matchup that lived up to its billing as a battle between two of the top teams in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC). With the win, Graceland improved to 13-2 overall and 9-2 in HAAC play, while Peru State dropped to 12-3 and 8-3 in the conference standings. In a game marked by 13 ties and 11 lead changes, Graceland relied on a balanced team effort and clutch performances down the stretch to pull off the win.

The game opened with Peru State taking an early 2-0 lead after a layup by Carlos Hines, who would go on to have a stellar night with 27 points and seven assists. Graceland responded quickly, with Carson Busch assisting on Cole Bowen's three-pointer to put the Yellowjackets up 3-2. The early exchanges set the tone for a back-and-forth affair that neither team would control for long stretches. Graceland shot 50% from the field in the first half, buoyed by efficient offensive sets and strong contributions from their reserves.

Maijhe Wiley, who came off the bench, provided an immediate spark, scoring 12 first-half points on 4-of-6 shooting, including two three-pointers. Wiley's scoring helped Graceland weather the storm of Peru State's aggressive attack. "I thought today was a high-level game," Wiley said after the game. "Two really good teams going back and forth all night. We made some really big plays down the stretch that got us over the top. This was a great bounce-back game for us as a collective."

Graceland trailed 19-17 midway through the first half after a three-pointer from Devin Tomlinson, who added 19 points for Peru State. However, the Yellowjackets regained the lead with Bowen's layup and free throws from JY Smith. Smith, who finished with 14 points and was nearly automatic from the free-throw line (12-of-13), provided steady contributions throughout the game. "Preparation is your best friend," Smith noted. "We've worked really hard at practice and our coaches had a great game plan tonight that we came out and executed right from the start. Everyone stepped up. With us, it's 1 through 15—every player's role matters."

As the game progressed, both teams continued to trade leads. Wiley hit another three-pointer with 5:38 remaining to tie the game at 31, and his layup shortly after gave Graceland a two-point advantage. Defensively, the Yellowjackets were anchored by Bowen, who grabbed nine rebounds and had two steals. His presence in the paint helped limit Peru State's ability to attack inside, forcing them to rely on perimeter shooting.

Graceland closed the first half with a narrow 43-40 lead, thanks in part to strong defense and timely scoring. Busch added seven points in the first half, including a critical layup late in the period that helped the Yellowjackets maintain their advantage. Defensively, the Yellowjackets limited Peru State's second-chance opportunities, holding the Bobcats to just six offensive rebounds in the first half.

The second half began with Peru State mounting a comeback. A layup by Aaron Miller and a three-pointer by Christian Tidiane gave the Bobcats a 45-43 lead within the first two minutes. Graceland's defense stepped up, forcing turnovers and converting those opportunities into points. Bowen's defensive rebound led to a Wiley three, which swung the momentum back in Graceland's favor. "It was a great game tonight with everyone stepping up and being part of the win," Bowen said. "We started slow, but in the second half, we got the job done. This team is like a family, and we always have each other's backs."

With just under two minutes remaining, Graceland found themselves clinging to a one-point lead after a free throw by Smith. On the ensuing possession, Wiley drove to the basket and converted a critical layup, extending the lead to three. Peru State's Tomlinson answered with a three-pointer to tie the game at 72 with just over a minute left. Graceland called a timeout to regroup, and the team responded with a methodical offensive set that ended in a layup by Smith, putting the Yellowjackets back on top.

The game's final moments came down to free throws. With less than 20 seconds remaining, Bowen grabbed a key defensive rebound and was fouled. He stepped to the line and calmly sank both free throws, giving Graceland a three-point cushion. On the next possession, Peru State's Hines missed a contested three-pointer, and Wiley secured the rebound. Fouled immediately, Wiley hit two free throws to ice the game and secure the 79-76 win.

Head Coach Todd Lorenson praised his team's resilience and execution in the critical moments. "This was a great road win for our group," Lorenson said. "After a tough loss last week, they made plays on both ends down the stretch to secure the win. Maijhe (Wiley) was an X-factor tonight. His ability to knock down shots and attack off the bounce was on full display. Outside of his big night, we had great balance and got contributions from everyone."

Statistically, Graceland shot 44.7% from the field and converted 33 of 38 free-throw attempts (86.8%). Their ability to capitalize on opportunities at the line proved pivotal in such a close contest. The Yellowjackets also received significant contributions from their bench, which outscored Peru State's reserves 34-17. While Peru State had an edge in points off turnovers (18-7), Graceland dominated in the paint, scoring 32 points compared to Peru State's 24.

Wiley led all Graceland scorers with 26 points, while Bowen added 15 points and nine rebounds. Smith contributed 14 points and was the most reliable free-throw shooter on the floor. Busch chipped in with 11 points and five rebounds, providing critical support on both ends of the court. Peru State's Hines led all scorers with 27 points, and Tomlinson added 19 in the losing effort.

The victory keeps Graceland firmly in contention in the HAAC standings as it prepares for its next matchup against Missouri Valley College this Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Burns Athletic Center in Marshall, Mo. For more information on Graceland men's basketball and all Yellowjacket athletics, visit GUjackets.com.