Graceland Women’s Basketball Earns a Thrilling Victory Over Peru State, 80-75

PERU, Neb. – The Graceland University Yellowjackets women's basketball team secured a hard-fought 80-75 win on the road against Peru State on Wednesday evening, improving their overall record to 5-11 and their conference record to 3-9 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play. The Yellowjackets demonstrated efficiency on both ends of the court, shooting 52.7% from the field and an impressive 50% from beyond the arc. Their performance was highlighted by balanced scoring, as multiple players stepped up in critical moments to secure the victory.

Graceland jumped out to an early lead, finishing the first quarter tied at 19-19, thanks to strong shooting performances by Kymani Freeman and Genesis Alarcon. Freeman knocked down a three-pointer early, and Alarcon's ability to drive the lane kept the offense fluid. The Yellowjackets pulled ahead in the second quarter, outscoring Peru State 24-15. Kayla Smolley hit a key three-pointer, and Avery Walker-Henry contributed four free throws to maintain the lead. At halftime, Graceland held a 43-34 advantage.

Peru State responded in the third quarter with a 22-point surge, narrowing the lead behind the efforts of Hailey Ingram and Natasha Deal, but Graceland's bench players, led by Jakyah Amous, provided critical scoring to keep the Yellowjackets ahead, 65-56. The fourth quarter saw Peru State claw back to within three points in the final minute, but clutch free throws from Freeman and standout defensive stops by Alarcon and Walker-Henry sealed the victory.

Graceland capitalized on its bench depth, scoring 41 points off the bench compared to Peru State's 15. The Yellowjackets also converted 87.5% of their free throws (14-for-16), a critical factor in the tightly contested matchup. While Peru State outrebounded Graceland 35-26 and scored 18 second-chance points, the Yellowjackets' defense forced 13 turnovers, leading to 25 points off turnovers. These defensive efforts proved pivotal in maintaining control of the game.

Key contributors for the Yellowjackets included Genesis Alarcon, who tallied 14 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals; Avery Walker-Henry, who scored 14 points, including two clutch free throws in the fourth quarter; Kymani Freeman, who added 11 points, 4 rebounds, and two late free throws to secure the win; and Jakyah Amous, who came off the bench to score 14 points, going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.

Interim Head Coach Zach Moore praised the team's resilience and balanced performance. "We played one of the best games we've played all year tonight. We were making shots and playing together. There was a stretch of the game where we faced some adversity, but the girls never panicked and they finished the game strong. This was a total team effort, and we got contributions from everyone."

The Yellowjackets will look to carry this momentum into their next matchup on Saturday, Jan. 11, against Missouri Valley College. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the Burns Athletic Center in Marshall, Mo.

For more information on Graceland women's basketball and all Yellowjacket athletics, visit GUjackets.com.