December 30, 2017
BLUFFTON, Ohio - For the second straight year the Bluffton University women came up just short to a top 10 nationally-ranked powerhouse on the final day of the McDoanld's of Bluffton Holiday Tournament. #4 Hope held off the Beavers by a 72-63 final on Saturday, Dec. 30. The Flying Dutch stayed perfect at 12-0, while Bluffton fell to 8-2 and had its seven-game win streak snapped.
The Beavers pulled within five points at 65-60 with 1:50 to play following an Abigail O'Donnell (Arcanum) deuce but six straight Hope points sealed the outcome as the visitors closed it out with seven makes at the charity stripe.
Macey Sheerer (Bucyrus) fashioned her 14th career double-double with 14 points and 11 boards. She also dished out four assists with no turnovers. Fellow senior Kaycee Rowe (Harrod/Allen East) hit 9-of-10 at the stripe for 13 points, six rebounds and three steals. Sophomore signal-caller TJ Mills (Dayton/Chaminade-Julienne) bucketed a team-high 16 points to go along with her game-high five dimes. Breanna Graham (Springboro) hit 3-of-5 from distance for nine points. Mills and Rowe were both selected to the All-Tournament Team.
Bluffton struggled to a 25 percent night on two-point field goals (9-of-36). The Beavers did hit 7-of-20 (35 percent) from outside the arc, but Hope was an efficient 27-of-53 (50.9 percent) from the field. Hope pulled down nine more rebounds (39-30), but turned it over four more times (19-15). The home team made hay at the line, sinking 24-of-31 (77.4 percent) on freebies.
Madison Geers was named the McDonald's MVP and she was joined by Francesca Buchanan from the Flying Dutch. Mount Union dispatched Alma 78-54 in the noon contest on Saturday.
The Beavers will jump right back into action on Tuesday, Jan. 2, when Bluffton welcomes Transylvania University for the December 2 makeup contest. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. in the Somer Center.
-BEAVERS-
