Weekly Recap 1-19

Bluffton winless in HCAC, Schaller ties single game block record again

 

By Ben Risinger, SID

January 19, 2004

   The Bluffton College women’s basketball team (1-14, 0-4 HCAC) is still looking for their first HCAC win of the season. Last Wednesday the Beavers traveled to Franklin College and lost the game 63-52. On Saturday Bluffton took on Transylvania University to be defeated 65-54. The Beavers will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio on Wednesday to take on Mount St. Joseph (7 pm start). Saturday Bluffton will be back at Founders Hall for a home game against Anderson. Tip off for the contest is scheduled for 2 pm.

FRANKLIN 63, BLUFFTON 52
   The Bluffton College women’s basketball team (1-13, 0-3 HCAC) were defeated by the Franklin Grizzlies (12-2, 3-0 HCAC) 63-52 on Wednesday night.

   Franklin started the evening by taking quick advantage of Bluffton, picking up the lead to start things off. At the 9:47 mark in the first half the Beavers went up to take the lead for the remainder of the period going into halftime up 31-27. Franklin came out of the locker room and quickly diminished the Beaver lead to be up for the rest of the game.

   Leading the Beavers for the night was freshman Tanya Rickenberg (Defiance/Paulding) with 18 points and 10 rebounds for her second career double-double, shooting an incredible 10-for-12 from the free throw line. Rickenberg also threw in two blocks for the contest (career high). Sophomore Karin Schaller (Jenera/Arlington) posted 17 points, nine rebounds and nine blocked shots for the evening. Schaller tied her own single game block record with nine blocks for the second consecutive game.

   Franklin posted 53 rebounds for the night to Bluffton’s 45. The Grizzlies hurt the Beavers on the offensive boards as they posted 26 second chance points for the game, to BC’s six. Franklin also scored 22 points off of turnovers to Bluffton’s 11.

TRANSYLVANIA 65, BLUFFTON 54
   The Bluffton College women’s basketball team (1-14, 0-4 HCAC) were defeated by Transylvania University (8-5, 2-2 HCAC) 65-54 Saturday afternoon in Founders Hall.

   The Pioneers led 40-27 at halftime off of 50 percent shooting for the first period. Starting the second half the Beavers narrowed the Transylvania lead to six points, 48-42 at the 8:37 mark. The Pioneers answered right back with a 7-0 run to widen the lead to 13 points, with the Beavers never being able to answer back.

   Leading Bluffton for the day was senior Lindsay Bacon (Troy/Troy) with 19 points. Freshman Tanya Rickenberg (Defiance/Paulding) was the only other Beaver in double digits with 11 points and six assists for the contest. Sophomore Karin Schaller (Jenera/Arlington) posted eight points, a team high 15 rebounds and five blocks for the game.

   Turnovers hurt Bluffton again as they committed 17 to Transy’s eight. The Pioneers then converted 13 points off of Beaver turnovers. The Pioneers defense shut down the inside game of Bluffton as the Beavers scored only eight points inside for the day to Transylvania’s 13 points.

Beavers in the Heartland Conference
TEAM STATISTICS
   As a team, Bluffton currently ranks first in the Heartland Conference with103 blocked shots on the year. Bluffton also currently ranks at the top in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to a .369 shooting mark.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS  
   Sophomore Karin Schaller posts four top five statistical positions in the HCAC. She ranks 1st in blocks (88), 1st in defensive rebounding (7.33 per game), 2nd in rebounds per game (10.7) and 4th in offensive rebounding (3.33). Schaller also adds 10.7 points per game, good enough for 14th in the league. Senior Lindsay Bacon ranks 2nd on Bluffton’s squad in scoring and 9th (tied) in the HCAC with 11.9 points per game. Bacon also leads Bluffton and ranks 4th in the HCAC with 1.79 3-pointers per game. Freshman Tanya Rickenberg currently leads the Beavers in scoring and ranks 6th in scoring with 14.1 points per game. Rickenberg also ranks 8th in rebounding in the HCAC with 5.8 rebounds per game and 3rd in assists, averaging 4.00 per game.