HANOVER, Ind. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team knotted it up late in the first half, but Hanover College pulled away late for a 73-56 victory on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Bluffton fell to 5-10 overall and 3-5 in the Heartland Conference, while Hanover improved to 9-6 and 7-1 in league play.

Bluffton struggled out of the gate, digging a 13-4 hole with just two Katie Neuhart (Delaware/Delaware Christian) buckets through the first six minutes. Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) and Tamron Brinkman (Dayton/East Dayton Christian) found the basket late in the first, pulling Bluffton within seven (17-10) heading to the second quarter.

Six Neuhart points made it 22-16 before an 8-0 Bluffton jag knotted the score at 24 apiece with three minutes to play in the half. Lindsey Smith (Mount Victory/Kenton) scored four in the spurt which was capped by a Kyla Columber (Marion/Pleasant) jumper. Hanover responded with a 10-2 run that gave the Panthers a 34-26 spread at the break.

Hanover opened the third frame like it closed the second, pushing its lead to 46-32 with 3:30 on the clock. Columber's layup with 27 ticks remaining made it 49-38 with one frame to play.

An 11-4 Panther spurt to kick off the final stanza effectively iced the outcome as Hanover led 60-42 with 6:49 remaining. Kayla Prigge (Hamler/Patrick Henry) hit from outside the arc and Smith capped off her career night with another deuce, but the home team moved to 7-1 in the HCAC with its 73-56 victory on Saturday afternoon.

Smith had a record-setting day with career highs of 18 points and 12 boards for her second double double! Neuhart followed with 15 points and six rebounds. Rachel Clark (Lima/Bath) doled out five assists and Fenstermaker grabbed six rebounds.

Bluffton hit 23-of-64 (35.9 percent), including a paltry 1-for-10 (10 percent) from distance. The visitors pulled down 14 more rebounds (46-32), but the Beavers turned it over 10 more times (22-12).

The Bluffton women will wrap up the first trip through the HCAC with a home clash against Earlham College on Wednesday, Jan. 17. Tip-off in the Sommer Center is slated for 7 p.m.

-BEAVERS-