Both Bluffton men’s and women’s baketball teams lost to Rose-Hulman on Saturday. Here is the women’s game. The men’s game is below.
The Bluffton University women's basketball team lost a hard fought, low-scoring game at Rose-Hulman, 45-37, on Saturday, Feb. 2. The setback dropped the Beavers to 7-14 on the year (5-9 HCAC). Rose-Hulman improved to 15-6 and is now 12-2 in the Heartland Conference.
Bluffton got after it in the first quarter as they defended the home team with vigor while being efficient on offense. A steady balance of jump shots, layups, and free throws helped the Beavers take a 14-8 lead after one round.
It was much of the same story in period two as Bluffton controlled the action for the rest of the half. Once again playing solid defense and good offense, the Beavers went into the break leading 26-20. Tj Mills (Dayton/Chaminade Julienne) paced Bluffton with nine points in the first half. The Beavers were getting it done inside the paint in the first half as they scored 12 of their 26 points in the key, attacking from all angles.
The third quarter was not one to remember for either team. Bluffton was 0-of-8 from the floor and committed seven turnovers as the visitors went scoreless the entire period. Rose-Hulman struggled as well, bucketing only six points in the third round as the score was knotted at 26-26 after three periods.
In the fourth quarter, Rose-Hulman had their best offensive showing of the afternoon. The Engineers went for 19 points in the final stanza while limiting Bluffton to just nine counters in the quarter. The Beavers were never able to get into an offensive flow in the second half. Despite an outstanding effort at the defensive end, Bluffton came up short, 47-39, at the final buzzer.
Mills led the Beavers with 15 points while going 4-of-5 from the free throw line. She also dished out a team-high three assists to go along with three steals. Kylie Brock (Villa Hills, Ky.) scored eight points off the bench. Brianna Gillig (New Riegel) led the visitors with seven rebounds for the game.
Rose-Hulman was led by Hannah Woody as she scored 11 points. Ally Bromenschenkel ripped down 13 rebounds for the home team. Taylor Graham scored 10 off the bench in the RHIT victory.
Bluffton went 13-of-51 from the floor for the game, making 25.5 percent of their shots, while the home team finished 16-of-52 for 30.8 percent. From long distance, the Beavers hit just 4-of-20 (20 percent). Bluffton was dominated on the glass to the tune of a 46-31 Rose advantage. Bluffton had 16 turnovers to Rose's 19, and both teams scored nine second chance points.
Bluffton's next contest will take place in the Sommer Center when the women host Defiance College. The game is the first of a back-to-back and it will tip at 6 p.m. with the men's game will follow.
Men’s game
The Bluffton University men's basketball team dropped an HCAC road clash at Rose-Hulman, 70-49, on Saturday, Feb. 2. Bluffton fell to 15-6 overall and 9-5 in the Heartland Conference while Rose improved to 14-7 and 10-4 in the HCAC.
It was a back-and-forth game early in the first stanza. Rose-Hulman came when Michael Lake drained a three-point shot to put the Beavers in a 10-6 hole. Bluffton did not give in as a jump shot by junior Brevin Dye (Bedford Heights/Trinity) would cut it to 10-8 with 15:32 remaining in the first stanza. The Beavers went up by one, 11-10, when junior Andrew Renner (Cairo/Bath) hit an early three-point shot just over five minutes into the game. The visitors trailed by as many as 10 in the half before senior Justis Dowdy (Van Wert/Lincolnview) nailed a triple that cut the Engineer lead to 24-21 with 5:57 left in the half.
The Beavers would finally claim the lead when Mandell Ransaw (Cleveland/Cuyahoga CC) hit a lay-up that put Bluffton up 25-24 with 4:05 left in the first half. But, unfortunately, that would be the last Beaver lead of the game as it was all Rose-Hulman from there.
Bluffton was led by Renner who netted 16 on 6-of-12 shooting and 2-of-3 from three-point land. Freshman Jameel Cosby (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) dropped in nine of his own on 4-of-9 shooting and 1-of-3 from deep. Dye chipped in with seven points and five boards.
The Beavers shot 20-of-54 for 37 percent while the Engineers were a very efficient 25-of-45 for 55.6 percent on the afternoon. Bluffton made just 4-of-18 for 22.2 percent from deep and Rose was 7-of-14 for 50 percent. The Engineers turned the ball over 18 times compared to just 11 for the Beavers. Rose ripped down 15 more rebounds than the Beavers (35-20).
The men will be back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 6, when they play host to Defiance, "that other purple school up north", in a big time rivalry game. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. following the conclusion of the women's contest.
