Balanced Pride attack powers to 79-68 win over Peru State

PERU, Neb. - Trekking west to Nebraska, the Clarke University women's basketball team earned a 79-68 victory over Peru State College on Wednesday night for their final road game of the 2022-23 regular season.

The Pride overcame some early offensive struggles to propel a one-point halftime lead to a 13-point lead after three quarters due to a 24-12 third quarter that saw Taylor Haase, Emma Kelchen, and Giana Michels combine for 19 of the 24 points while going 6-for-11 (54.5%) from the field and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line.

The free throw line was significant for the Pride in the game as they attempted 34 and made 23 compared to a 3-for-3 night from the Bobcats as PSC was called for 27 total fouls compared to just 11 times the Pride were whistled for fouls.

Michels ended with a team-high 17 points on 5-of-7 (71.4%) shooting from the field and 2-for-4 (50%) from three-point range for the senior's season-high coming off of the game where she reached 1,000 career points.

She led a CU squad that saw every one of the nine players who traveled to the game score at least a point with Kelchen scoring 15, Tina Ubl adding 14, Haase finishing at 11 points and eight rebounds, and Nicole McDermott adding 10 points and seven rebounds.

The game's leading scorer was Peru State's Sam Stewart as she scored 20 points on 10-of-16 (62.5%) shooting off the bench while adding five rebounds and four steals. Both Maddy Duncan and Jescenia Mosley provided 10 points with Mosley adding team-highs in rebounds with seven and assists in four and Duncan adding six rebounds of her own.

Clarke will return home to Dubuque for Senior Day and the regular season finale on Saturday at noon when they host Missouri Valley College at the Kehl Center.