January 7, 2017
By: Colton Steiner, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women’s basketball team took on Anderson University and pulled out the win as they methodically marched to a 65-48 victory despite a sluggish start. The Beavers improved to 10-2 overall and 4-1 in the Heartland Conference. The Ravens slipped to 5-8 on the season, including a 2-4 mark in the HCAC.
Anderson went out to a 6-5 lead in the first five minutes but a 10-0 run by Bluffton pushed the score to 15-6. The Ravens fought back and cut the gap to 28-24 at the break.
The Beavers opened the second half with a 10-2 spurt, making the score 38-26 with 7:50 to go in the third quarter. BREANNA GRAHAM (Springboro) scored five straight points for Bluffton, including a three-pointer which beat the shot clock as the home team went up 47-33. The teams continued to trade buckets and the Beavers would head into the fourth quarter with a 51-39 advantage.
The Ravens pulled within single digits midway through the final quarter but Bluffton closed the game out by scoring the last seven points for a 65-48 victory.
Leading the way for the Beavers was RACHEL BEINING (Ottoville) who notched her 17th career double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. She also had six blocks on the afternoon, one shy of her all-time best. Beining is now 2nd all-time with 657 career boards. MACEY SHEERER (Bucyrus) added 12 points and TJ MILLS (Dayton/Chaminade-Julienne) notched 10 with a career-high six dimes.
The Beavers struggled to hit shots from the field as they went 23-of-64 (35.9 percent) and 2-of-10 (20 percent) from behind the arc. Bluffton was outstanding from the charity stripe, hitting 17-of-19 (89.5 percent) as a team. Despite losing the rebounding battle (48-40) Bluffton was able to force 20 Raven turnovers, scoring 23 points off those miscues.
Bluffton will look to move into a first-place tie in the Heartland Conference when the Beavers host Franklin College on Monday, Jan. 9, at 7:30 p.m. The HCAC clash is a makeup of the contest originally scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 17.
-BEAVERS-
