BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University men's basketball team was back in action on Friday, Jan. 29, looking to keep their perfect record intact. After 40 minutes of hard fought basketball they did just that, defeating the Spartans by a score of 76-66. The Beavers held the Spartans to a season low in scoring with their exuberant defensive play.
Bluffton came out a little sluggish as they went scoreless for nearly four minutes before Marcus Bruns (Coldwater) broke the ice. For the next four minutes, Bluffton managed just one other make, a three-pointer from Jameel Cosby (Springfield). The Beavers finally got untracked midway through the first half as freshman Marcus Peaks (Pataskala/Watkins Memorial) led the way in the opening 20 minutes, scoring eight points which already eclipsed his career high.
With just under five minutes left in the first and with Bluffton down by three, senior Ronnie James (Cleveland) drove to the hoop and scooped in a layup for his first bucket of the game. The Beavers took it to Manchester late in the half, opening up a 32-28 spread at the break.
Coming out of halftime, Bluffton had the lead and never looked back. Thanks to a quick jump shot by James and a Cosby layin, Bluffton saw its lead expand to a comfortable 10-point margin at the 16:11 mark.
With just under five minutes left in regulation, the Spartans cut the deficit to four (59-55). But just like he has done so many times in the past, senior sharpshooter Dezman Brown (Elyria) came up big for the Beavers down the stretch. Brown hit two threes and got to the rack for a layup during a two-minute span to slam the door on Manchester.
Bluffton stayed perfect on the season moving to 8-0, while Manchester dropped to 2-4. The eight wins marks the best start to a season in men's basketball history and it ranks third all-time to the 11 consecutive wins at any point in a season by the 2005-06 squad and the 2006-07 team.
Cosby again led the way for the Beavers with 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists as he stuffed the stat sheet. Peaks scored a career high with 12 points. Brown went for 13 and he led the Beavers with eight rebounds, followed by Bruns and Aaron Rich (Greenville) with seven caroms apiece.
The Beavers shot a staggering 45.5 percent (10-of-22) from beyond the arc, while holding their opponents to 7-of-24 (29.2 percent). Bluffton won the rebounding battle by 11 (41-30) and also dominated 2nd chance (20-10) and bench scoring (27-7).
The men will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 30, hosting Manchester again at 3 p.m. in the Sommer Center.
-BEAVERS-
