January 4, 2017
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team scored the first 10 points and never looked back in a 68-46 rout of Mount St. Joseph on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017. Bluffton improved to 9-2 overall and 3-1 in the Heartland Conference, while MSJ fell to 1-11 and 0-5 in the HCAC.
A Kaycee Rowe (Harrod/Allen East) jumper in the paint capped off a 10-0 jag to start the game less than five minutes into the opening period. Chelsea Moore (Delaware/Olentangy) and Jessica Boggan (Cincinnati/Princeton) pushed the spread to 14-7 after seven straight MSJ counters made it a three-point game. Rowe and freshman Breanna Graham (Springboro) both hit deuces for an 18-10 advantage after one quarter.
Graham drained consecutive triples for a 24-10 lead just over a minute into period two. Rowe converted an old-fashioned three-point play, Sheerer hit from in close and Rowe finished off a Bluffton fast break for a commanding 31-12 advantage midway through the quarter. Senior Rachel Beining (Ottoville) got in on the action with six points over the last 2:20 as Bluffton took a 39-21 cushion into the intermission.
The home team continue to pour it on in the second half, going up 63-33 following a Kayla Heuker (Botkins) layup with 6:07 to play. With the clock winding down, freshman Lacey Trumbull (North Baltimore) drilled a jumper from the left wing and sophomore Erika Motiejunas (Mentor) hit a late free throw to cap off a 68-46 victory over the Lions.
Rowe led the Beavers with 15 points on 6-of-10 from the field and she added six rebounds, two assists and two steals. A 5-of-7 shooting night propelled Breanna Graham to her career-high 14 points. Macey Sheerer (Bucyrus) chipped in with 10 points and six assists. Freshman Chelsea Moore stuffed the stat sheet with six points, nine boards, four blocks and three steals in her first career start.
The Beavers hit 25-of-56 from the field (44.6 percent), compared to 16-of-54 for MSJ (29.6 percent). The home team knocked down 15-of-20 from the line (75 percent). Bluffton pulled down 15 more rebounds (43-28) and dished out six more dimes (18-12). Both teams knocked down three triples on eight attempts.
Bluffton is back in the Sommer Center on Saturday, Jan. 7, when the Beavers host Anderson University at 2 p.m.
-BEAVERS-
