By: Takayla Gadberry, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University men's basketball team welcomed Manchester University back to the Sommer Center on Saturday, Jan. 30, for their second matchup in as many days. The Beavers stay undefeated as they secured a 59-54 victory over the Spartans.
Senior Ronnie James (Cleveland/Benedictine) gave the Beavers a 2-0 lead just 10 seconds into the game. A 9-0 run for the home team, capped off by a Mike Ketner (Minster) triple put Bluffton up 11-2 with just over 15 minutes to play in the first half. A Spartan run saw Manchester pull within five points (24-19) with 1:08 to play in the half. Two freebies for Aaron Rich (Greenville) gave the home team a 26-19 lead at the buzzer.
The Spartans came out and bucketed two shots to pull within three points (26-23) just under two minutes into the second half. Senior Dezman Brown (Elyria) and James answered back with two buckets of their own to push the Beaver lead back to 30-25. With 11:19 to play, a Spartan trifecta and layup gave them their first lead of the game (41-38). Jameel Cosby (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) dropped a deuce and Brown made one-of-two from the free throw line to tie it back up, 41-41. Two freebies for Manchester tied the game up, 54-54, with 1:43 to play in the half, but that didn't stop the Beavers as a 5-0 run that included a huge three from Brown in front of the Bluffton bench just beat the shot clock and kept the home team undefeated, 59-54.
Bluffton improved to 9-0 on the season, while Manchester dropped to 2-5. Rich led the Beaver offense and defense with 14 points and 12 boards. Ketner and Brown chipped in 13 and 12 tallies, respectively. The 13 points was a career high for Ketner and he also picked up a career-best four steals.
The Beavers hit 22-of-53 (41.5 percent) from the field and 6-of-18 (33.3 percent) from behind the arc. Manchester struggled both from the field and outside the arc, hitting just 19-of-57 (33.3 percent) and 5-of-23 (21.7 percent) from deep. Manchester won the battle of the boards, pulling down 36, compared to Bluffton's 34.
The men will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 5, when they welcome Mt. St. Joseph to Copeland Court. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. Tune in to the livestream and cheer on the Beavers from the comfort of your own home!
-BEAVERS-
