December 20, 2016
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team took advantage of its pent up energy after 10 days off when the Beavers rolled to a 50-22 half-time spread en route to the 85-64 victory. Bluffton improved to 7-1 overall while Wooster slipped to 1-9 on the season.
Eight straight points to start the game was just a glimpse of things to come as the Beavers went out to a 24-13 lead after period one. Kaycee Rowe (Harrod/Allen East) and Macey Sheerer (Bucyrus) combined for 10 of the first 12 points for the home team before senior Ashley Salyer (Marion/River Valley) took over with back-to-back triples from the right wing.
Rowe continued her onslaught in the second quarter, netting nine points in the first four minutes as Bluffton opened a commanding 37-15 lead with 6:05 to play in half. TJ Mills (Dayton/Chaminade-Julienne) drilled a pair from the charity stripe and then knocked down a jumper as the lead ballooned to 27 points (45-18). Sheerer dialed long distance and LJ Olverson (Cincinnati/Princeton) added a deuce for a 50-22 lead at the break.
A deep trifecta by Rowe made the score 74-41 with 8:21 to play before the advantage mushroomed to 39 following a pair of Chelsea Moore (Olentangy) makes at the stripe. Everybody got into the action with at least four minutes on the court in the 85-64 victory over Wooster with Christmas break the next item on the agenda for the Beavers.
Kaycee Rowe paced the home team with 20 points and she just missed out on a double-double with eight rebounds. Sheerer and Olverson added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Junior Abigail O'Donnell (Arcanum) ripped down a game-high nine boards. Ashley Salyer equaled her career-best with nine points and her three makes from distance are a new career high. Mills and Rachel Beining (Ottoville) also chipped in with nine markers apiece.
Bluffton hit 29-of-70 from the field (41.4 percent), compared to 19-for-56 (33.9 percent) for the visitors. The Beavers knocked down 5-of-11 (45.5 percent) while holding Wooster to just 6-of-20 (30 percent) from deep. The home team pulled down 12 more boards (51-39) and dished out nine more assists (20-11). Wooster coughed it up 25 times, to just 14 turnovers for the Beavers. Bluffton won the paint (30-16) and dominated the points off turnovers with a 40-11 spread.
The Beavers will be back in action on Thursday, Dec. 29, when they welcome Centre College to the Sommer Center for the McDonald's Holiday Tournament. Top 10 national powers St. Thomas and Hope square off at 5 p.m. with the Beavers slated to follow at 7 p.m.
-BEAVERS-
