By Tim Stried
January 22, 2003
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For the second year in a row Bluffton College knocked off Defiance College in Founders Hall as senior Mike Leimeister’s 42-point effort led the Beavers to a 97-93 win Wednesday night in front of a season-high 1,193 fans.
Leimeister, who scored 30, 34 and 36 points in three games against Defiance last season, continued to top his previous performance against the Yellow Jackets, this time scoring a career-high 42 points. He hit 20-of-22 free throws in the game to set a new school record for freebies made in a game and his 10 rebounds gave him his seventh career double-double. He also added a career-high four assists.
Defiance shot 61.7% from the field but Bluffton converted on 30-of-36 free throws and out-rebounded Defiance 34-26 to win their second game in a row and improve to 8-9 overall and 2-5 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Defiance drops their second straight game to see their record now stand at 10-6 overall and 3-4 in the HCAC.
When playing in Founders Hall, Bluffton has now defeated Defiance in five of the last eight meetings between these two schools.
Bluffton led for nearly all of the first half and took a 46-41 lead at halftime, but Defiance opened the second half with a 14-3 run to go up by six points with 17:04 remaining. It would be their biggest lead, however, as Bluffton battled back to regain the lead for good with 11:13 to play.
Bluffton led by 13 points at 93-80 with 2:31 remaining, but Defiance out-scored the Beavers 13-4 to end the game, however it wasn’t enough as the Beavers set a new season-high in scoring. Bluffton’s 30 made free throws was a season-high, as was their .833 free throw percentage.
In addition to Leimeister’s 42-point effort, which was just four points away from the school record, three other BC players scored in double-figures, led by 18 from junior Brad Boyles, 13 from senior Derek DeNero and a career-high 11 points from freshman Simeon Talley. DeNero collected a career-high six steals and Talley’s point total was a new career-high.
Bluffton will host #16 Hanover College Saturday at 3 p.m.
