The Bluffton University women's basketball team trailed 50-41 midway through the third period before the Beavers turned it around with a 25-10 jag over the next nine minutes en route to the 86-81 victory on Saturday, Jan. 14.
Bluffton improved to 13-2 overall and 7-1 in the Heartland Conference, while Hanover slipped to 7-8 and 5-3 in the HCAC.
Layins by Rachel Beining (Ottoville) helped Bluffton pull within two points before deuces by Abigail O'Donnell (Arcanum) and Kaycee Rowe (Harrod/Allen East) knotted the score at 55 heading into the final stanza.
Back-to-back triples from Macey Sheerer (Bucyrus) put Bluffton on top for good (61-57) with 8:43 to play. TJ Mills (Dayton Chaminade-Julienne) pushed it to 66-60 with a pair of free throws and a deep ball at the 6:41 mark. Hanover pulled within one twice in the final six minutes, but seven makes at the charity stripe in the final minute sealed the 86-81 victory for the HCAC leaders.
The Beavers put five in double figures with Rachel Beining, Sheerer and Rowe all netting 17 points in the victory. Beining's 17 on a white-hot 8-of-10 from the field pushed her past the 1,000-point mark as a Beaver! Breanna Graham (Springboro) was on fire, hitting 4-of-5 deep balls for a career-high 16 counters.
Mills was one point shy of her career best with 14 points. Beining ripped down a game-high 11 boards for her 19th career double-double. Sheerer converted 11-of-12 at the charity stripe.
Bluffton hit 27-of-62 from the field (43.5 percent), including 7-for-16 (43.8 percent) from distance. Both teams pulled down 35 rebounds, but the home team turned it over six more times (19-13).
Round one of the Heartland Conference will come to a close on Wednesday, Jan. 18, when the Beavers welcome long-time rival Defiance College. Tip-off is 6 p.m. in the Sommer Center.
