Takayla Gadberry, sports information alumna
BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Bluffton University women's basketball team wrapped up the 2022 McDonald's Holiday Classic with a 54-43 loss to the Denison University Big Red. The Beavers fell to 7-4 on the season while Denison improved to 5-6.
It was a quiet offensive start for the Beavers that saw the Big Red take an early 9-0 lead before two charity shots for Katie Neuhart (Delaware/Delaware Christian) put the home team on the board. Olivia Zender (Fostoria/Hopewell Loudon) drained a pair of threes to cut the Bluffton deficit to three (11-8) but a 4-3 run for Denison gave the visitors a 15-11 advantage at the end of the first.
The Big Red opened the second quarter with two shots from distance to push their spread up to 10 (21-11). Two freebies for Sammy Shardo (Findlay/Liberty-Benton) followed by a shot from Lindsey Smith (Mount Victory/Kenton) cut Denison's lead to six (23-17) with 5:17 to play in the first half. Eight unanswered points for the Big Red sent them back to the locker room with a 31-20 cushion.
The Bluffton offense came out firing in the third quarter when Maddie Fitzpatrick (Mount Gilead) drained a three followed by back-to-back trifectas from Kayla Prigge (Hamler/Patrick Henry) for a 36-32 deficit. A strong defensive battle from both teams led to just seven more points for the Big Red and five for the Beavers, making it 43-37 heading to the final frame.
A 9-0 run for Denison pushed their lead to 15 (52-37) to start the fourth quarter. Smith, Prigge and Kyla Columber (Marion/Pleasant) all knocked down shots to pull the Beavers within 11, but it would not be enough as the Big Red pulled away for the 54-43 victory.
The Bluffton fire was fueled by Smith with a career-high 12 points and nine rebounds in her first collegiate start. Prigge pitched in eight points with Zender just two shy, putting six on the board. Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) and Neuhart pulled down six boards apiece. It was a career best for Neuhart.
Denison outshot Bluffton from the field, hitting 22-of-58 (37.9 percent), compared to an ice-cold 15-of-62 (24.2 percent) for the home team. The Beavers did better from beyond the arc, going 7-of-20 (35 percent) while the Big Red hit just 5-of-19 (26.3 percent). Both teams attempted eight charity shots with Bluffton knocking down six (75 percent) and Denison five (62.5 percent).
The visitors put up 28 points in the paint with the home team hitting just half of that at 14. Denison pulled down 15 more rebounds (50-35), however, the Big Red turned the ball over 10 more times as Bluffton finished with just six miscues.
The women will be back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 4, when they welcome HCAC-rival Defiance College to Copeland Court. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. Go Beavers!
-BEAVERS-