Heartland Conference champion Defiance College ended the Bluffton College women’s basketball team’s season last Friday night with a 64-49 defeat in the semi-finals of the HCAC tournament in Defiance.
Senior Jen Bear has been named first team All-HCAC as she averaged a team-high 13.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in league games. Bear was Bluffton’s lone selection for all-league honors as the Beavers ended their season with an overall record of 12-14 and 5-7 in the HCAC. BC defeated Anderson University in the first round of the HCAC tournament on February 20 to advance to their HCAC semi-final date at Defiance.
This was the third straight season that Bluffton has advanced to the semi-finals of the HCAC tournament.
Final season statistics and career records for this year’s senior class will be released at a later date.
Feb. 23 at Defiance
BC put together a strong comeback midway through the second half, but #1 seed Defiance College pulled away late to hand #4 seed Bluffton a 64-49 loss in the semi-finals of HCAC tournament Friday night in Defiance.
After falling behind 19-2 to begin the game, the Beavers went on an 18-6 run midway through the first half and found themselves trailing 33-22 at halftime. Defiance (21-4) expanded that lead to 19 points early in the second half, but BC mounted a comeback that saw BC outscore the HCAC's regular season champion 16-3 to get to within six points at 48-42 with 6:24 left in the game. Eight straight points by Defiance's Lea Barrera, however, swung the momentum back in favor of the Yellow Jackets, who led by no less than 10 points for the final three minutes of the game. During that stretch the Yellow Jackets didn't make a field goal but connected on 10 free throws.
Bluffton outrebounded Defiance 43-37 and held the hosts to a 31.8% shooting clip from the floor, but the Beavers committed 29 turnovers (20 in the first half) and shot 32.6% from the floor themselves.
Freshman Karen Harris scored a season-high 11 points, which tied for the team scoring honors with Bear, who added 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. Seniors Elizabeth Snavely and Kristy Crall both added eight points.
Feb. 20 vs. Anderson
Bluffton kept their season alive with a 69-66 win over Anderson University Feb. 20 in Founders Hall. Bluffton took a 32-25 lead at halftime but found themselves trailing 53-47 with 10:17 left in the game. The Beavers turned things around quickly, however, and went on a 15-3 run to go up by six points with under four minutes left in the game. Two AU 3-pointers helped tie the game at 66-66 with 39 seconds to play, but Bear sank two free throws and Harris added one more to send Bluffton to their 12th win of the season and a date with Defiance.
It was Bluffton's third win this season over Anderson, and with their 41.3% shooting effort from the floor marked the first time this season that either team has shot over 40% against each other. AU was held to 32.8% shooting from the floor but did convert on 11 of 21 3-pointers and connected on 11 of 12 free throws.
Bear led all scorers with 20 points and her 11 rebounds gave her double-double number five on the season. Crall scored 14 points and Snavely chipped in 12. Senior Liz Bock's four blocked shots came within one block of the BC single game record as Bluffton rejected a season-high 10 shots during the game.
