Sports Information Staff Report
February 15, 2005
The Bluffton University men's basketball team (12-11, 5-7 HCAC) was able to win one Heartland Conference game last week as they beat Mount St. Joesph, 69-67 on Feb. 9. The Beavers then dropped their second game of the week, 69-67 at Anderson University on Feb. 12. This week Bluffton will host rival Defiance College on Feb. 16 (7:30 p.m. start) and will finish out the regular season as they take on Manchester College in Founders Hall on Feb. 19 (3 p.m. tip off).
BLUFFTON UNIVERSITY 69, MOUNT ST. JOSEPH 67
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University men's basketball team (12-10, 5-6 HCAC) was able to hold on late in the game and defeat Mount St. Joseph (12-10, 5-6 HCAC) 69-67 on Feb 9 in Founders Hall.
Early in the game, Mount St. Joseph jumped out and took a quick five point lead. The Beavers answered right back going on a 10-0 run of their own, but the Lions took a 39-36 lead into halftime.
In the second half the Beavers slowly chipped away and took the lead for good with nine minutes and fourteen seconds remaining off of a three-pointer by junior Scott Bergman (Elmore/Woodmore). Bluffton would increase its lead to eight points (64-56) by a Darren Clark (Plain City/Jonathan Alder) three-pointer with four minutes left. Mount St. Joseph fought back and capitalized on Beaver turnovers down the stretch to pull within one point with one minute remaining in the game. Time ran out on the last possession for the Lions with Bluffton pulling away with the win 69-67.
Leading Bluffton for the game was Bergman with 22 points and four rebounds. Sophomore Michael Anthony (Ohio City/Delphos St. John's) was the only other Beaver in double figures with ten points. Sophomore Eric Schwieterman (St. Henry/St. Henry) dished out nine assists, seven points and grabbed four rebounds.
Bluffton finished the game shooting 50 percent (27-of-54) while the Lions shot 53 percent (28-of-53). The Beavers scored 17 points off of Lion turnovers. The Lions dominated in the paint scoring 34 points to Bluffton's 22. Both teams posted 24 rebounds for the night.
BLUFFTON UNIVERSITY 67, ANDERSON UNIVERSITY 69
ANDERSON, Ind. - The Bluffton University men's basketball team (12-11, 5-7 HCAC) was defeated 69-67 by Anderson University (10-13, 3-9 HCAC) in Heartland Conference action on Feb. 12.
Sophomore Michael Anthony (Ohio City/Delphos St. John's) led Bluffton with 15 points and seven rebounds for the game. Junior Scott Bergman (Elmore/Woodmore) posted 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Junior Eric Sweet (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) rounded off the double figure scoring with 11 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Eric Schwieterman (St. Henry/St. Henry) dished out seven assists for the afternoon.
The Ravens led the contest for most of the first period as Bluffton came alive with six minutes left before halftime. With six minutes left the Beavers found themselves down nine points (24-15) only to crush Anderson's lead with great play by both Sweet and Anthony. In the final stretch leading into halftime the two combined for 14 points (seven points each) to tie the game at 34 all.
Anderson led by nine points in the second half as Bluffton came back to tie the game (60-60) with five minutes left to play. Both teams took the contest down the stretch as Anderson led by two points (69-67) with 18 seconds left. The Beavers then took a quick timeout and put the ball in bounds only to miss three chances and give Anderson the win in the final seconds.
The Ravens shot 47 percent (27-of-57) for the game to Bluffton's 42 percent (27-of-63). The Beavers out-rebounded Anderson as they pulled down 38 rebounds to the Ravens 34.
LEADING THE BEAVERS ON THE SEASON
HCAC TEAM STATISTICS
Bluffton currently ranks second in assists with 364 total on the year (15.83 per game) and fourth in steals with 178 total (7.74 per game) in the conference. The Beavers rank third in blocked shots with a 2.61 per game average and fourth in 3-point field goal percentage with .370 average. The team is third in the HCAC in field goal percentages with a .457 average and fourth in free throw percentage (.712 percent).
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS
Scott Bergman posts 21.3 points per game to lead the Heartland Conference and rank 20th in NCAA Division III. Bergman leads the team in steals with 41 (fourth in HCAC) and three point field goals made with 61 (second in HCAC). Six other HCAC statistical categories find Bergman in the top twenty. Eric Sweet has totaled 252 points on the year to rank second on the team (18th in HCAC). Sweet leads the Beavers in rebounding with 129 boards (10th in HCAC) and blocked shots with 40 on the year (second in HCAC). Sweet currently ranks sixth in the conference in field goal percentage with a .535 average. Michael Anthony tops Bluffton in free throw percentage with a .822 average and ranks fourth in the conference. Eric Schwieterman leads the Beavers in assists with 77 on the year and sits at fourth place in the HCAC.