Women's bball: Bluffton falls to 8-15 at Hanover
The Bluffton women's basketball team struggled from the field on Saturday, falling to the Panthers of Hanover (77-47) on Feb. 11, 2012. The Beavers dropped their second straight and fourth in a row on the road. Bluffton slipped to 8-15 overall and 6-10 in the HCAC. Hanover improved to 18-4 and their 14-2 mark in the HCAC keeps them tied with Franklin for the top spot in the conference.
The Hanover pressure once again got to the Beavers as the Panthers controlled the game right from the tip-off and never let up. The visitors turned it over five times in the first five minutes as the Panthers opened the game on a 14-0 run.
Senior Brittany Lewis (Springfield/Shawnee) then scored the first Bluffton bucket of the game to get the Beavers on the board at the 14:16 mark. A fast-break layup by freshman Brenna Kurilec (Mt. Gilead/Gilead Christian) made it a 10-point spread at 18-8 with 11:38 to play in the half.
The Panthers then picked it up and went on a 10-0 jag, extending their lead to 28-8. The Beavers clawed back to get it down to a 12-point deficit on two makes from the charity stripe by Kylee Burkholder (West Unity/Hilltop). But no matter how hard Bluffton fought, the Panthers were just too much as they pushed the lead back to 18 at 45-27 by halftime.
Throughout the second half, Bluffton could only trim the deficit to as few as 14 points (47-33) as they were outmatched by the conference-leading Panthers. Hanover pulled away late for a 77-47 defeat of the Beavers.
Lauren Hutton (New Riegel), Lewis, and Burkholder each chipped in with 10 points, including seven boards for Hutton and six for Lewis. Elizabeth Miller (Riverside, Iowa/Hesston College) also added in six points off the bench.
Bluffton hit just 17-of-62 from the field for 27.4 percent, including a 0-of-20 performance outside the arc. Hanover shot 26-of-71 for 36.6 percent from the field, but the home team also struggled from behind the arc, going 2-of-22 for 9.1 percent.
The Panthers converted 23-of-32 at the line for 71.9 percent, while the Beavers didn't miss, going 13-of-13 for 100.0 percent. Turnovers again plagued Bluffton as the visitors committed nine more miscues (25-16).
Bluffton travels to Defiance for conference action on Wednesday, Feb. 15. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m.
Stories Posted This Week
Sunday, May 4, 2025
Saturday, May 3, 2025
- Pirate baseball win vs. Tigers
- Bluffton softball edged in battle of Pirates
- Committee meetings scheduled for Bluffton Council
- #1 recommended attraction in NW Ohio is in Ada
- Mental Health Awareness event with Seth Gehle
- Ohio highway patrol promoting motorcycle safety
- Recap of Bluffton Board of Education meeting for April 2025
- Weekend Doctor: Antidepressants in the long term
Friday, May 2, 2025
- BHS seniors exhibit art at Gallery 323 through May 7
- What's in your weekend?
- Pirate softball blanked by Lancers
- Pirate baseball blanked by Lincolnview
- Laman Promoted to VP Retail Credit Manager by CNB
- Local land conservancy hires first Executive Director
- Steiner to present Swiss Family Migration program on May 21
- 850 Days of Caring volunteers will pitch in for Hancock County
Thursday, May 1, 2025
- Angel M. Langhals owned LFE/API Meters
- Allen Co. task force targets target sex and human traffickers
- Blessing of the Bikes, May 4
- Metzger honored at 2025 Black Swamp Council meeting
- Volunteer invitation for Bluffton Pathway Count in May
- Pirate tennis edges Ottawa-Glandorf
- Bluffton EMS station staffing goes 24/7 on May 1
- You are what you eat: Link to immune system
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
- Observation deck added to Motter Park cascading pools project
- Bluffton Women in Business meet May 15
- Four sportsmen stock 200 trout at Buckeye Lake
- Pirate girls, boys 2nd at Minster track quad
- Pirate baseball win vs. Riverdale
- Pirate softball loss vs. Riverdale
- Field reports from NW Ohio wildlife officers