Another game, another milestone victory for the Raven Men's Basketball team.
The (2) Ravens earned their 24th-straight win Wednesday night – a 70-64 victory against (14) Peru State College – which sets a new program record for most wins in a row. Jaiden Bristol had a big game, notching a triple-double with 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
The game was a tight battle from start to finish. After the Ravens took a 3-point lead into the halftime break, the Bobcats were able to take a 3-point lead at two different points in the second half. Down 47-44, the Ravens took a timeout with 6:34 to play and came out of the huddle ready to take over the game. They did just that, going on a 15-5 run to go up 59-52. Adam Kutney played a large role in that, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers off assists from Bristol with the shot clock running down.
After going scoreless in the first half, Bristol attacked the paint more in the second half. He also was clutch at the free throw line down the stretch, sinking free throws to keep the Bobcats at arm's length.
With the win, the Ravens set a new program record for most consecutive wins. That broke the previous record set in the 1964-65 season, and over the last four games of the 1966-67 season and first four games of the 1967-68.
Kutney finished with a double-double for the Ravens, scoring a game-high 24 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Thomas O'Connor added 9 points. The Ravens shot 40.8 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from 3-point line. The Ravens also held the Bobcats to 37.3 percent shooting from the field, well below their average of 46 percent.
The Ravens held a 30-27 after a fast-paced opening 20 minutes of action. Chris Jackson provided a spark off the bench, pouring in 8 points, including two 3-pointers. Bristol was a force, dishing out seven assists and pulling down six rebounds from his point guard position. He also had two steals in the first half and led two fast breaks that resulted in baskets by Wills Wallrapp and Colby Nickels.
The lead changed five times in the opening half and both the Ravens and Bobcats held leads of 6 points at different moments. The Ravens shot 35.7 percent from the field and the Bobcats were 31.3 percent from the floor.
Peru State was strong on the glass in the first half, grabbing seven more rebounds than the Ravens. Despite 10 offensive boards, the Bobcats had just 3 second-chance points. They finished with 19 offensive rebounds and only 9 second-chance points in the game.
Next up for the Ravens (25-2, 21-0 Heart of America) is a Saturday, Feb. 23 game in Oskaloosa, Iowa, at (16) William Penn University.
