December 28, 2001

Bridgewater College shot 58% from the floor and 57% from 3-point range (12-21) to take a 92-68 win over Bluffton College Friday night in the opening session of the Fourth Annual McDonald's of Bluffton Holiday Tournanemt in Founders Hall.

The loss was Bluffton's first ever in the McDonald's tournament, as the Beavers now fall to 6-1 all-time in this event and will face Millikin University at 1:00 on Saturday in the tourney consolation game.

Bridgewater will face off against Ohio Dominican College at 3:00 in the tournament's championship game. Bridgewater is now 6-2 overall on the season, while Bluffton falls to 5-6.

Bluffton junior Mike Leimeister led the Beavers with 16 points, while junior Derek DeNero added 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Senior Rod Overmyer chipped in 13 points.

Bridgewater All-American Kyle Williford was held to 14 points, but Eagles guard C.W. Durrette scored a game-high 19 points as he was 7-8 from the floor and nailed all three 3-pointers he attempted.

Bridgewater's 24-point margin of victory was the largest ever point spread in a McDonald's tournament game. The Eagles also set a tournament record with 16 steals.

Bridgewater ended the first half on a 14-4 scoring run to take an 18-point lead at halftime, their largest lead of the first 20 minutes. Bluffton didn't get any closer in the second half as a 17-4 Eagle run in first eight minutes put the game out of reach.