Men's Basketball Comeback Falls Short at Peru State

Peru, Neb., (Feb. 7, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball team traveled to Peru, Neb., for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against Peru State (Neb.), Saturday afternoon. The women's team finished out a 69-61 win. The men's team tried to put together a late comeback, but fell short, 69-66.

The men's game started with the teams trading points early in the contest.  Senior Antwon Ferrell (Newman, Ga.) made the first field goal for Missouri Valley, while Junior Kamari Slaughter (Gary, Ind.) added a layup with over five minutes played,  the team trailed 6-4.  Peru State outscored MVC by a 19-5 margin over the next several minutes, which featured a free throw from Junior Keanu Patrick (Biloxi, Miss.), and four points from Ferrell.  With nearly seven minutes remaining in the half, Freshman Shalva Meunargia (Tbilisi, Georgia) made a jump shot, and Freshman Damario Moss (Lexington, Mo.) followed by scoring the next eight points for the Vikings over the next stretch of play.  Ferrell made a pair of free throws for the final points of the half, but the Vikings went into the break trailing, 39-20.

Scoring in the second half started with a three-pointer from Moss and a pair of free throws from Ferrell quickly after the restart to bring the team into a 39-27 deficit.  Missouri Valley held Peru State scoreless for over the next two minutes, and worked back to close the gap down to 43-38, as Kamari scored six points, and both Ferrell and Patrick scored a basket each.  The Vikings outscored the Bobcats by a 10-3 margin, which included three-pointers and made field goals from Junior Devin Davenport (Milwaukee, Wisc.) and Moss to eventually tie the game at 48-48 near the 12-minute mark.  Missouri Valley took a short lead, as Davenport made a layup, but Peru State State answered back scoring the next seven points and keeping MVC scoreless for four minutes to hold a 57-50 advantage.  Moss ended the Vikings drought with a three point shot, followed by two free throws from Davenport, and a jumper from Ferrell to tie the game back at 57-57 with five minutes to play.  The two teams traded points in the final minutes of the game, with the Bobcats eventually reclaiming the lead at 67-62.  Missouri Valley responded, as Ferrell made the next four points to bring the Vikings into a 69-66 score with 50-seconds left on the clock.  MVC held the last possession of the game but the team was unable to tie the game, and fell by a final score of 69-66.

Moss led with 21 points and five rebounds.  Ferrell added 19 points to go with eight rebounds and four assists.  Davenport followed with 10 points, while Slaughter scored nine points.  Missouri Valley forced PSC into 13 turnovers.

Missouri Valley falls to 16-8 on the season and 10-6 in the Heart.  Peru State improves to 13-11 overall and 9-8 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking men's and women's basketball team will travel to St. Louis, Mo., for a Heart doubleheader with Missouri Baptist, Wednesday.  Women's game at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7:30 p.m.

Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.