CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Bluffton University men's basketball team trailed 40-27 at the half on the way to an 87-67 victory for Mount St. Joseph on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. Bluffton fell to 4-8 overall and 0-5 in the Heartland Conference, while the Lions improved to 3-9 and 3-2 in the HCAC.

Back-to-back Connor Martin (Holland/Springfield) buckets followed by a Michael Stammen (Versailles) deuce put the visitors up 6-5 just over two minutes into the game. Matt Ray (Indianapolis, Ind./Herron) hit from distance and Ian Snelling (Erlanger, Ky./Dixie Heights) cashed in with two conversions at the charity stripe, making it 11-10 Bluffton at the 15:11 mark.

Three consecutive Mount triples, a Dylan Hammonds layup and three points from Jason Lavender pushed the Lions to a 24-13 lead at the eight-minute mark. Myles Thomas (Chicago, Ill./Leo) scored seven straight Bluffton points and Snelling delivered a pair of buckets, but Bluffton trailed 40-27 at the break despite a Stammen layin that beat the buzzer.

Cam Rogers (Cincinnati/Christian) and Snelling both hit from in close, keeping Bluffton within striking distance at 53-43 just before the second media timeout of half number two, however, the Lions used a 14-2 jag to open a 67-45 spread with 8:09 to play. Nevin Robson (Kenton/Hardin Northern) hit from outside the arc and Stammen scored seven straight, but MSJ salted it away with eight late free throws to cap off its 87-67 victory.

Stammen knocked down 9-of-16 from the field for a team-best 21 points. He also picked up four steals and seven boards. Rogers went 5-of-9 for 11 counters. Snelling finished with eight points and six rebounds, while Robson and Thomas scored seven points apiece.

Bluffton hit 25-of-68 from the field (36.8 percent), but just 3-of-23 (13.6 percent) from distance. MSJ locked in with a 31-of-57 shooting night (54.4 percent) and the Lions drilled 11-of-24 (45.8 percent) outside the arc. The Beavers were 14-of-17 (82.4 percent) at the line. MSJ hammered the glass with a 47-27 advantage, including 37-20 on the defensive end. The visitors turned it over just four times, compared to 14 miscues for the Lions. 

Bluffton returns to the Sommer Center for a 3 p.m. meeting with Franklin College on Saturday, Jan. 6, following the women's 1 p.m. matchup with FC.

-BEAVERS-