BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University men's basketball team was unable to seal the deal as rival Defiance clinched the #3 seed in the upcoming HCAC Tournament with a 67-62 win over the Beavers on a rare Friday night of hoops in the Sommer Center. Bluffton cashed out with a 6-17 mark overall and 2-13 in the Heartland Conference, while Defiance improved to 11-11 and 9-6 in the HCAC. DC will host #6 seed Franklin College on Sunday, Feb. 20.
Bluffton opened a 59-49 lead with just 4:01 to play following nine straight points from senior Jameel Cosby (Springfield/Kenton Ridge), but Defiance closed the rivalry contest on an 18-3 jag which gave DC a 67-62 victory in the only game between the two squads this season. The Beavers missed all five of their shots and managed just three free throws over the final four minutes in what felt like a microcosm of the season.
It went back-and-forth until five straight Defiance points put the visitors up 16-11 at the 12:57 mark of period one. DC pushed it to 20-13 at the 9:16 mark before Kegan Owen (Indianapolis, Ind./Greenwood) dialed long distance and Miguel Ringer (Cincinnati/Christian) got free for a pair of bunnies, pulling Bluffton within one point (21-20).
Michael Stammen (Versailles) and Cosby dropped consecutive deuces and Ringer added another easy one on an assist from senior Chad Frey (Lima/Bath), keeping Bluffton within striking distance, down 30-28 at the half.
With Bluffton trailing 38-35 at the 14:05 mark, the Beavers went to work. Owen got to the rack and Cosby picked Defiance off, setting Damian Davis (Bexley) up for two more points. Cosby then went on a 14-point flurry in just eight minutes as the home team pushed its largest lead to 10 points with 4:01 to play before the engines stalled out.
Cosby went 9-of-19 from the field for a game-high 22 points, giving the four-year starter 1,218 career markers (17th all-time)! Owen added nine points, while Stammen and Ringer chipped in with eight apiece. Ringer also led the way with five rebounds. Cosby equaled his career best with four steals.
The Beavers hit 25-of-54 (46.3 percent) from the field, while Defiance was a red-hot 23-of-44 (52.3 percent). Bluffton connected on just 4-of-14 (28.6 percent) outside the arc and 8-for-15 (53.3 percent) at the line. Defiance pulled down six more rebounds, but the Yellow Jackets also turned it over twice as much (14-7).
Bluffton's 2021-22 season has come to a close as have the careers of Frey and Cosby. Next up are the Heartland Conference awards which are slated for release next week.
-BEAVERS-
