By Keisha Holtsberry
The Bluffton University men’s basketball team fell victim to an Anderson University team that welcomed back HCAC-leading scorer Phil Hogan after missing the last month with a hand injury. Hogan missed 13 of his 17 shot attempts, but hit one that mattered, the game-winner as the buzzer sounded.
Although he was not in the starting lineup, Hogan played 37 of 40 minutes and handed out a game-high eight assists. The Beavers fell to 9-12 overall and 5-9 in the Heartland Conference, while Anderson improved to 9-12 and 5-9 in the HCAC.
The Beavers came out ready to play and quickly took the lead. At the 15:36 mark, senior Josh Fisher (Rockford/Parkway) dialed long distance to put the Beavers up by five. Anderson responded and cut the Beaver lead to one point.
The visitors retaliated and with 9:25 left in the half, a layup from freshman Thayne Recker (Arlington) pushed the Beavers up by seven (23-16).
At the 3:06 mark Anderson tied the game up, but less than 20 seconds later Recker hit from in close to put the visitors back on top. The Beavers followed Recker’s two points with an 8-0 scoring run and ended the half up by double digits, 40-30.
Bluffton increased its lead to 12 with a trifecta from freshman Billy Taflinger (Lima/Central Catholic) at the 14:59 mark. With 12:09 to play, Anderson started to chip away at Bluffton’s lead and by the 6:15 mark Anderson took the lead.
A 19-2 run by the Ravens turned an 11-point deficit into a 67-61 Anderson lead just seven minutes later.
Anderson continued to take advantage of a porous Bluffton defense, going up by eight with 2:39 left in the game.
The Beavers finally responded and a layup from junior Will Pope, a jumper from senior Tyler Neal (Bluffton), and consecutive Fisher hoops knotted the game at 77 with 24 seconds left. However, Anderson's Hogan was not to be denied and his jumper with two seconds left was the difference.
The Beavers were led by Pope with 18 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh career double-double. Fisher and Recker each contributed 14 points in the setback. Fisher and junior Dustin Kinn (Alvada/New Riegel) each pulled down seven rebounds. Senior Tyler Neal (Bluffton) dished out a team-high six dimes.
Bluffton was a blistering 29-of-50 (58.0 percent) from the field, while Anderson went 32-of-63 (50.8 percent) despite just 4-of-17 for Hogan. The difference was at the three-point line where Anderson made six more shots.
Bluffton was an efficient 5-of-11 (45.5 percent), while Anderson went 11-of-27 (40.7 percent). Bluffton pulled down eight more boards, but the Beavers missed 11-of-25 freebies.
The Bluffton men return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 6, when the Beavers travel to Manchester University. Tip time is slated for 7:30 p.m.
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