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Beavers drop a pair on week while Bergman leads Bluffton and HCAC in scoring

Posted: Jan 31, 2005

sports information staff report
January 31, 2005

The Bluffton University men's basketball team lost two Heartland Conference contests last week.  The Beavers were defeated on the road by rival Defiance College 82-74 and dropped to Hanover College at home 74-51.  This week the men will host Franklin College on Feb. 2 in Founders Hall (7:30 p.m. start) and will travel to Transylvania University on Feb. 5 (3 p.m. start).

Defiance College 82, Bluffton University 74
DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Bluffton University men's basketball team (10-8, 3-4 HCAC) was defeated by rival Defiance College (8-10, 1-6 HCAC) 82-74 on Jan. 26.

Defiance jumped ahead early in the ball game in the first half only to find Bluffton storm back to take the lead 24-17 with eight minutes left in the period. The Yellow Jackets came back and kept the contest close as the score would be deadlocked at halftime 34-34.

Both teams shared the lead again in the second half as Defiance led by seven points (61-54) with eight minutes remaining. Bluffton pushed back once more to tie the game for the tenth time at the six minute thirty-seven second mark. The Yellow Jackets then led the game for the remainder of the contest. The Beavers struggled in the second half as Defiance shot 60 percent (12-of-20) compared to Bluffton's 45 percent (17-of-37) in the period.

Junior Scott Bergman (Elmore/Woodmore) led the Beavers with 20 points, five assists and four steals. Junior Simeon Talley (Columbus/Centennial) posted a career high 19 points. Junior Eric Sweet (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the night. Sophomore Eric Schwieterman (St. Henry/St. Henry) knocked in a career high eight points.

For the game Bluffton shot 43 percent (29-of-67) compared to Defiance's 52 percent (25-of-48). The Beavers posted 39 rebounds to Defiance's 31 rebounds.

Hanover College 74, Bluffton University 51
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University men's basketball team (10-9, 3-5 HCAC) was defeated 74-51 by No. 16 Hanover College (15-4, 62 HCAC) on Jan. 29.

Junior Scott Bergman (Elmore/Woodmore) led the Beavers on the afternoon with 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore David Patch (Minster/Minster) added eight points and two rebounds. Junior Eric Sweet (Ottawa/Ottawa Glandorf) pulled down a team high nine rebounds and added four blocked shots.

Key defense and clutch shooting kept the contest close in the first half. Bluffton would lead by as many as six points in the opening period, before Hanover would capitalize on missed shots and take a four point advantage into the locker room (40-36).

The second half would bring more Panther dominance. As Hanover would shoot fifty percent (13-of-26) for the period compared to Bluffton's nineteen percent (4-of-21) shooting in the second period. Rebounding would prove to be even in the contest as both teams pulled down 26 boards. 

Leading the Beavers on the season
HCAC team statistics
Bluffton ranks second in the conference in assists with 299 total (15.74 per game) and free throw percentage with a .711 average. The Beavers place fourth in the conference in both field goal percentage (.458) and 3-point field goal percentage (.369). The team ranks third in blocked shots (50), fourth in steals (149) and fourth in assists/turnover ratio (1.10). 

Individual statistical leaders
Scott Bergman tops both Bluffton and the Heartland Conference in scoring with 419 total points (22.1 points per game average) and is ranked 14th in NCAA Division III in points per game. Bergman also leads the HCAC in 3-point field goals made with 55 for the year. Bergman also ranks second in the conference in steals (34), 13th in rebounds with 98 and 11th in assists (51). Eric Sweet ranks second on the team in scoring with 217 points (18th HCAC) and leads the team in rebounding with 108 boards (11th in HCAC). Sweet currently places eighth in the conference in field goal percentage with a .541 average and second in blocked shots with 34 total. Michael Anthony leads Bluffton with a .836 free throw percentage and places fourth in the HCAC.  Eric Schweiterman leads the Beavers in assists with 53 (ninth in the HCAC).