LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Bluffton University men's basketball team gave Transylvania all it could handle in a 64-59 loss to the Pioneers on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. Bluffton dipped to 5-12 overall and 1-8 in the Heartland Conference, while Transy improved to 10-7 and 5-5 in the HCAC.
A Jameel Cosby (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) triple on the heels of a Kegan Owen (Indianapolis, Ind./Greenwood) deuce pulled Bluffton within one at 54-53 with just under two minutes to play, but back-to-back threes by Brandon Cromwell sandwiched around a shaky charge call on Cosby put the game on ice at 60-53. Owen and Michael Stammen (Versailles) both cashed in from deep in the final 26 seconds, but the Pioneers converted all four of their free throws to cap the 64-59 victory.
Despite falling down 6-0 less than a minute and a half into the contest, Bluffton regrouped and forged a 12-10 lead on the strength of three balls by Owen and Cosby. Jumpers by Stammen and Marcus Bruns (Coldwater) put Bluffton up 25-22 with 3:15 to play in the half. Cosby's jumper as the horn sounded knotted the game at 27 apiece.
Nine straight Transy counters put the home team up 36-27 at the 17:15 mark of period two. Owen dialed long distance, Cosby drained two freebies and Owen dropped a deuce as Bluffton pulled within two at 42-40 midway through the second half. A pair of Cosby buckets and a Miguel Ringer (Cincinnati/Christian) fastbreak layup set the stage for the heartbreaking finish.
Cosby tickled the twine for 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field, including 3-of-7 from deep. He pulled down five rebounds and dished out four assists. Owen was a red-hot 7-of-10 for a career-best 17 points. He was 3-for-5 from distance. Bruns led the Beavers with six rebounds.
Bluffton was an efficient 24-of-50 (48 percent) from the field, including 7-of-20 (35 percent) outside the arc. The Beavers made all four of their free throw attempts. Transy pulled down 10 more rebounds (33-23), while Bluffton turned it over one more time (12-11). The Pioneers finished with a 30-20 edge in paint points.
The Beavers will return to the Sommer Center for a Heartland Conference clash with Mount St. Joseph on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.
-BEAVERS-