December 9, 2017
By: Colton Steiner, sports information assistant
HANOVER, Ind. - The Bluffton University women’s basketball crew hit the road for the second contest of a four-game swing to match up against the Hanover College Panthers who were fresh off a Wednesday night victory over HCAC pre-season favorite Transylvania. A strong second quarter was key as the Beavers would march on to an 83-65 win against the Panthers, improving to 5-1 (2-0 HCAC) on the season.
Hanover would get the first basket of the afternoon, but a triple by MACEY SHEERER (Bucyrus) put the Beavers up 3-2 to start the outing. The two teams went toe-to-toe throughout the first quarter before Sheerer split a pair of free throws to give Bluffton a slim 20-19 lead as time expired in the opening period.
The visitors went up 25-19 after KAYCEE ROWE (Harrod/Allen East) rolled in a layup and HEIDI CRADDOCK (Lima/Bath) drained a three to start the second quarter. Bluffton would then outscore the Panthers 15-9, capped by a TJ MILLS (Dayton/Chaminade-Julienne) make at the charity stripe. The Beavers would go into the break with a 47-33 cushion after a pair of Kaycee Rowe free throws and a Macey Sheerer bomb.
ABIGAIL O’DONNELL (Arcanum) got a layup of her own with 6:57 left in the third quarter to put Bluffton up 52-35. Despite the fight by Hanover, the Beavers were able to extend their lead to 20 following a lay-in by NORA HEMMINGER (McComb) with just under five minutes left in the third. A 10-2 run by the Panthers put the score at 62-50 with 2:41 remaining in the quarter. A free throw and a layup by Hanover cut Bluffton’s lead to 64-53 entering the final stanza.
With 6:35 left in regulation, the home team was able to pull within eight points after a layup by ALEXIS NALL. Despite cutting the Beaver lead to single digits, Hanover went down without a whimper for the last 4:36 and were outscored by the visitors 10-0 as Bluffton wrapped up the 83-65 rout.
The Beavers were led offensively by senior Macey Sheerer who dropped in 19 points on 7-of-14 from the field and 3-of-6 from behind the arc. It was a banner day for TJ Mills and Kaycee Rowe as Mills dropped career highs with 17 points and eight dimes. Rowe ripped down a career-best 15 boards to go along with her 16 points. It marked the seventh career double-double for the senior standout!
Bluffton was a stellar 33-of-67 (49.3 percent) from the floor while the Panthers went 24-of-50. The Beavers took advantage of Hanover’s 22 turnovers as they scored 27 points off those miscues. The visitors finished with a 33-30 edge in the rebounding battle.
The next stop for the Beavers on their four-game road trip is next Saturday following finals as they prepare for Franklin at 2 p.m. before they travel to John Carroll on Tuesday, Dec. 19, with a tipoff set for 5:30 p.m.
-BEAVERS-
