| Special to: The Bluffton News (Dec. 5), The Witmarsum (Dec. 6), Alumni e-newsletter (Dec. 3), but you read it here first. |
The Bluffton College women’s basketball team dropped a pair of games last week in Founders Hall, but the Beavers have shown the ability to keep pace with quality opponents so far this season.
BC, now 0-4, will be aiming for a win as the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule tips off in December, but the Beavers will have to earn that first win on the road as Bluffton’s next six games are all away from Founders Hall.
BC will travel to Manchester on Dec. 4, Hanover on Dec. 7, Mt. St. Joseph on Dec. 14 and Lake Erie on Dec. 16.
Bluffton 49, Wilmington 74
Bluffton turned in an impressive second half performance last Tuesday night in a 74-49 loss at home to Wilmington.
Wilmington, who was picked first in the Ohio Athletic Conference pre-season poll, shot 61.5% from the field in the first half and led 45-24 at halftime, but the Beavers held the Quakers to 29 second half points and a 39.3% shooting clip from the field.
Bluffton outscored Wilmington 7-6 over the first 8:26 of the second half and for the game forced 20 Quaker turnovers.
The Bluffton non-starters combined for 31 points, led by senior Erica Rock, who collected two new career highs with nine points and eight rebounds. Both numbers led the team Tuesday night as the Bluffton bench outscored the Wilmington bench 31-30.
Junior Paula Fry came off the bench to notch three career highs with eight points, six rebounds and three steals.
Denison 62, Bluffton 53
Bluffton led for the first 34 minutes of the game but a visiting Denison squad pulled away down the stretch for a 63-52 win over the Beavers Saturday evening in Founders Hall.
A 15-0 run gave Bluffton a 20-6 lead with ten minutes remaining in the first half, which gave the Beavers what would be their biggest lead of the night at 14 points. Denison held BC without a field goal over the final three minutes of the first half, however, but Bluffton led 28-23 at halftime.
In the first half Bluffton shot 44% from the floor and held Denison to a 24.1% shooting effort as senior Paula Fry scored eight points to lead the offense. In the second half, however, Denison held BC to a 36% shooting performance and forced 13 Beaver turnovers.
For the game, Bluffton established new season-highs for points (53), field goal percentage (.400), 3-pointers made (4), 3-point field goal percentage (.400), assists (13) and blocked shots (2).
Foul trouble hurt Bluffton as BC was whistled for 25 fouls, which sent Denison to the free throw line 29 times. The Big Red connected on 25 of those free tosses.
Senior Melissa James scored a game-high 17 points, while senior Lyndsey Robinson added 12 points. Junior Karen Harris chipped in 10 points.
