By: Jack Reed, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - For the first this season there were a limited number of fans allowed at tonight's basketball game that featured the Bluffton University Beavers hosting the Ravens from Anderson University. The home women came out victorious thanks to a stellar performance in the third quarter from a plethora of Beavers. As the final buzzer sounded, Bluffton prevailed by a score of 58-45. The Beavers improved to 13-3 on the season heading into the final stretch.
Bluffton jumped out to an early lead thanks to Brianna Gillig (New Riegel) who scored the first nine points that came from two hoop and harms that were followed by a conventional triple try. The scoring slowed throughout the rest of the period before a trifecta from freshman Sydney Cavanaugh (Mansfield/St. Peters) at the 1:20 mark. At the end of the first stanza, Bluffton held the 14-9 lead.
It took the Beavers four minutes to score in the second stanza. A Taylor Malson layup finally broke the ice (Castalia/Margaretta). A steal by Malson on the next possession and a missed layup led to an offensive rebound and putback by Gillig. Cavanaugh dialed up another 3-pointer with just over a minute to go that was assisted by Malson. Heading into the half the Beavers led 27-19 thanks to a sticky defense that held the visitors to 34.6 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes.
The third stanza may have been the best quarter of basketball the Beavers have played all season. Bluffton went on an unbelievable 18-0 run to end the period and effectively end any Raven hopes for a victory. It started off with a Maddie Fitzpatrick (Mount Gilead) three-pointer from Sammy Shardo (Findlay/Liberty Benton). On the proceeding possession, Fitzpatrick dribbled down and fired off another three.
A couple moments later, senior Nora Hemminger (McComb) stole the ball and went coast-to-coast for an old-fashioned three-point play. After a mad scramble, Shardo dialed long distance thanks to a dish from senior Abbie Parkins (Bluffton). Just 30 seconds later at the 3:30 mark, Hemminger joined the trifecta party with her corner three from Shardo. And in their final possession of the quarter with just 20 seconds remaining, senior Kylie Brock (Villa Hills Ky./Dixie Heights) dialed in a 30-footer from deep! As the buzzer was getting ready to sound, junior Emma Saltzman (Arcadia) capped off the dominating quarter with a block, making it 48-25 heading to the fourth.
Anderson was able to go on a mini-run but Bluffton weathered the storm in the final frame. With a quick four points by Gillig, the Beavers were back in a comfortably commanding lead. With just a minute remaining in the game, senior Claire Myree (Lakota West) made a nice move to the basket that resulted in a sweet floater. Bluffton sat on it for the final 20 seconds as the Beavers snapped their two-game skid with a 58-45 win on Friday night.
Gillig led the Beavers in scoring with 17 on a night in which she was presented a ball for scoring her 1,000th career point at MSJ a week ago! Brock went for nine, while Fitzpatrick chipped in eight counters. Nine different Beavers cracked the scoring column in the victory. Bluffton also won the rebounding battle (42-36) with Gillig and Saltzman pulling down seven apiece.
Hannah Hawkins hauled in 13 rebounds for her Raven squad in the loss. Bluffton won thanks to its offensive firepower and stellar defense on the perimeter. The Beavers held Anderson to just 1-of-13 from beyond the arc for 7.7 percent, compared to 30.8 percent (8-of-26) for the victors. Both teams turned it over 13 times.
The Beavers head to Anderson tomorrow for a 2 p.m. matchup with the Ravens from O.C. Lewis Gymnasium.
-BEAVERS-
