Posted: Nov 20, 2009
November 20, 2009
By: Josh Bruner, sports information assistant
ALBION, Mich. - The Bluffton University men's basketball team led early after a slow first half, 20-15. The Tigers came out in the second half and outscored the Beavers, 35-25, for a 50-45 win on Friday, November 20, in the first round of the College Basketball Classic at Albion. The loss dropped Bluffton to 0-2 overall, while DePauw University moved to 1-0.
The Tigers looked strong as they started off the game with a 7-0 lead after less than two minutes of play. Nick Lee (Mt. Blanchard/Vanlue) responded by hitting a shot from behind the arc, stopping the run and making the score 7-3 at the 17:50 mark.
Bluffton continued the scoring, putting together an 11-0 run over the next nine minutes which put the Beavers up 11-7 with nine minutes to play in the opening stanza. The Tigers countered with an 8-0 spurt of their own for a 15-11 lead with just four minutes of play left in the half.
Brent Farley (Lima/Shawnee) started the Beavers last scoring run of the half when he put in a layup and free throw for a three-point play with three minutes left. Freshman Josh Fisher (Rockford/Parkway) ended the scoring for the half with a layup for a 20-15 advantage.
Farley led the team into the second half, dropping in the first points just 10 seconds into the period. The Beavers quickly took their largest lead of the game, 26-19, with 16 minutes on the clock.
The Tigers came back to take the lead 31-30 after a three-point play by Sean Haseley. The scoring slowed, but the Beavers re-took the lead once again after a Farley jumper. The Tigers answered for a 37-34 lead with under seven minutes left to play.
The Beavers trimmed the deficit back to two after a Tyler Neal (Bluffton) triple with just two minutes on the clock. With 17 seconds left in the game, Lee buried another shot from behind the arc to make it a one-point game. The Tigers sealed the deal with their clutch free throws, going 4-of-4 from the line in the waning seconds for the 50-45 win.
Leading the way in the scoring column for Bluffton was big man Brent Farley with 15 points, hitting 7-of-11 from the floor. Lee was close behind with 10, including two from behind the arc. Also hitting for the Beavers was Jordan Pothast (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) with six markers and Neal with five. Sophomore Nate Heckleman (Norwalk) chipped in with four assists. Farley added two blocks and six boards.
DePauw received a balanced scoring attack with two players in double digits, Lemaster with 13 and Haseley with 10. Haseley also pulled down seven boards for the Tigers. The Beavers outshot the Tigers, making 23-of-56 attempts from the field for 41 percent. The Tigers hit 24-of-84 attempts for 29 percent. The Tigers proved more efficient with the ball, only turning it over eight times while forcing 16 miscues by the Beavers.
The Beavers will be back in action Saturday, November 21, when they play Edgewood in the consolation game at Albion College. The contest is slated for 2 p.m.
-BEAVERS-