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Setting the scene
After Wednesday night Bluffton will have just one more home game, that coming next Wednesday against rival Defiance. Wednesday is the second of back-to-back road games for Franklin as the Grizzlies arrive in Bluffton with a five-game winning streak.
The series
Franklin leads the all-time series against Bluffton 10-1 which dates back to the 1998-99 season. Franklin has won the last seven meetings against Bluffton, with the Beavers’ lone win against Franklin coming here in Founders Hall during the 1999-00 season.
The coaches
Bluffton is led by first-year head coach Amanda Curtis, who at 23 years old is the youngest collegiate head women’s basketball coach in the country. Curtis was a graduate assistant with the University of Akron last season after two years as a student coach for Albion College. Franklin is led by second-year head coach Mike Jewett, who led the Grizzlies to a 21-6 overall record and 11-3 conference record last season.
Season records
Bluffton is now 2-18 on the season, 1-10 in the HCAC, and is aiming for its second home win of the season tonight. Franklin is currently 14-7 overall with a 7-3 mark in the HCAC. The Grizzlies are 5-4 on the road this season.
Earlier this season
Franklin handed Bluffton a 92-42 loss on Jan. 8 at Franklin. Melissa James led the Beavers with 10 points, while freshman Mandy Wightman and sophomore Cara Young both chipped in eight points. Junior Karen Harris added five points and grabbed a game-high six rebounds. Bluffton tied a season-high with 13 steals in the game and improved their shooting percentage by nearly 10% in the second half, but Franklin improved theirs by over 14% to deny the Beavers a chance to get back into the game after the Grizzlies took a 41-18 lead at halftime. Lindsey Roberson led Franklin with 15 points, while Sayra Hoskins had 13 and Tiffany Ellis chipped in 12 off the bench.
Last season
Franklin won both games over Bluffton last season as the Grizzlies won in Founders Hall 92-57 on Jan. 2 and at Franklin 90-58 on Feb. 6. In the game here in Founders Hall, Bluffton trailed by nine at half but were unable to cut the lead in the second half due largely in part to Franklin’s 50% shooting from the field. Lyndsey Robinson led Bluffton with 16 points while Melissa James grabbed 10 rebounds. In the game at Franklin, the Beavers were unable to keep pace with the Grizzlies plus-40% shooting from the field and plus-50 rebounds in the game. Lyndsey Robinson led Bluffton with 19 points.
Last game
Bluffton was defeated at Anderson University last Saturday 82-60. A 16 point deficit at half proved to be too much for the Beavers despite their 50% shooting from the field in the second half. The highlight of the game for Bluffton was the play of senior guard Melissa James who scored a career high 23 points. James was 7-12 from the field, 4-7 from beyond the arc and a perfect 5-5 from the free throw line. Lyndsey Robinson added 11 points and seven rebounds. Franklin is coming off a 70-56 win over Thomas More last Saturday. The Grizzlies were led by freshman guard Lindsey Roberson who scored 15 points and senior forward Sayra Hoskins who scored 13 points.
James now third in games played
Bluffton senior Melissa James is playing in her 98th career game Wednesday, which places her in 3rd place in career games played. James has played in every varsity game so far in her career at BC. Jenny (Etzler) Fledderjohnn holds the BC record for games played with 102.
Bluffton leaders
Seniors Melissa James (11.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Lyndsey Robinson (10.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg) lead Bluffton in scoring and rebounding, while junior Karen Harris (7.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg) leads the team in steals with 37, which ranks 9th in the HCAC, and in assists with 42.
Franklin leaders
The Grizzlies starters all rank in the top 30 in scoring in the HCAC. Senior forward Sayra Hoskins leads the team with 12.0 points per game, while freshman guard Lindsey Roberson closely follows with 10.5 points per game.
HCAC team rankings
Bluffton ranks third in offensive rebounds (14.3 orpg) and has established a +1.5 rebounding margin, which ranks fourth in the HCAC. Bluffton also ranks third in defending the three-pointer, allowing their opponents to shoot only .304 from behind the arc. Franklin, meanwhile, ranks first in rebounding margin (+5.0), assists (16.0) and ranks second in offensive rebounding (14.7 orpg) and defensive rebounding (27.4 drpg).
