BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team had its share of ups and downs in 2018-19 following the graduation of all-time greats Macey Sheerer and Kaycee Rowe, but the Beavers battled their way to a sixth straight berth in the Heartland Conference tournament. Consistency will be the primary focus in 2019-20 as the Beavers won two games in a row just twice last season.
Back for her final season is three-time All-HCAC honoree Tj Mills (Dayton/Chaminade-Julienne) who led the Beavers and was fifth in the conference with 14.8 PPG. She was also second in the HCAC with 3.8 assists per game. She collected Second Team All-HCAC recognition after earning honorable mention as a sophomore and HCAC Freshman of the Year honors following the 2016-17 campaign. Mills has moved up to 18th on the career scoring list with 854 points during her first three years as a Beaver. She is 7th all-time with 270 career assists and her 151 steals (10th all-time) have Mills on pace to move to the top of the charts next year.
Junior guards Kylie Brock (Villa Hills, KY/Dixie Heights) and Nora Hemminger (McComb) put up 7.2 and 5.3 PPG, respectively. Hemminger dished out 39 assists last season and Brock went off for a career-high 29 points at Manchester after dumping in 18 points at rival Defiance.
Senior Dj Keesey (Cadiz/Harrison Central) gives the Beavers experience in the post having played in 53 games during her tenure at Bluffton. Junior Abbie Parkins (Bluffton) is a tenacious defender and she pulled down 4.3 RPG while starting 21 games in 2018-19. Sophomore post Emma Saltzman (Arcadia) averaged 3.4 PPG and 3.5 RPG in her first season as a Beaver.
Breanna Gillig (New Riegel) started from day one and the conference took notice as she was named to the All-Freshman Team. She finished the year 6th in the conference with 7.1 RPG, while her 10.5 PPG were 2nd for the Beavers. The talented forward hit 103-of-240 from the field for 42.9 shooting on the season. Gillig had her finest day at Hanover in the Heartland Conference tournament when she hit 11-of-17 from the field for a career-high 22 points.
Bluffton will open the season on a Monday night for the second straight season when they welcome Alma College for a 7 p.m. tip on November 11. The Beavers head to Mount St. Joseph for the Heartland Conference opener on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Olivet, Cairn and Westminster come to town for the 7th annual McDonald's Holiday Tournament on December 28-29. Bluffton welcomes rival Defiance as half of a Senior Night treat on Wednesday, Feb. 19, before wrapping up the regular season at Transylvania on February 22. Come out and support the Bluffton University women when they hit the hardwood this winter!
-BEAVERS-