December 17, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Josh Fisher triple gave Bluffton a 62-59 lead with 7:58 remaining before Transylvania University used a 17-6 jag to secure a 76-68 victory over the Beavers on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. Bluffton fell to 5-4 overall and 1-3 in the Heartland Conference with its fourth consecutive setback. Transy stayed perfect at 7-0 and 4-0 in the HCAC with the win.
Senior BRENT FARLEY (Lima/Shawnee) and junior JOSH FISHER (Rockford/Parkway) hit back-to-back hoops in the paint to open the game, but Transylvania went up 9-4 before MYCHAL HILL'S (London/Jonathan Alder) three pulled the Beavers within 11-9 at the 16:35 mark. The home team opened an 18-9 cushion just over a minute later.
A pair of WILL POPE (Somerville/Preble Shawnee) chip shots and consecutive free throws by Fisher made it 18-15 midway through the first period. Bluffton made it a one-point game (22-21) thanks to a JOSH JOHNSON (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) jumper and freebies from Pope and Farley.
The Beavers finally took the lead when DUSTIN KINN (Alvada/New Riegel) cashed in for two points at the charity stripe following a Fisher make from distance. Transy erased a two-point Bluffton lead with seven straight markers. Hill responded to the spurt with a trey and two free throws, knotting the game at 34 with 43 seconds left in the half.
CHRIS OWENS gave the Pioneers a 36-34 lead with just seven seconds on the clock, but Johnson nailed a three at the buzzer for a 37-36 Bluffton lead at the break.
NICK LEE (Vanlue) knocked down a pair from the foul line and Fisher got to the rack 23 seconds later, giving the visitors a 41-38 advantage early in the second stanza. Another Fisher trifecta kept Bluffton on top (44-43) at the 16:56 mark before a 10-1 Transylvania run made the score 53-45 four minutes later.
Fisher, Johnson and NATE HECKELMAN (Norwalk) countered with buckets, trimming the decicit to two (53-51) with 10:50 to play. Lee and Fisher followed with three-pointers as Bluffton tied the game at 57 less than two minutes later.
With 7:58 remaining, Fisher again dialed long distance for a 62-59 edge. Bluffton managed just six points the rest of the way, while Transylvania kept its record perfect with a 76-68 victory over the visitors.
Fisher put up a game-high 23 points, seven boards and three assists on 4-of-8 shooting from distance in his first start of the year. Mychal Hill also chipped in double digits with 10 points, two assists and two steals. Farley blocked three shots in the loss.
The Beavers connected on just 18-of-45 shots from the field (40.0 percent), while Transy was 22-of-49 (44.9 percent), including 8-of-19 from deep. Both teams went 24-of-29 (82.8 percent) at the line and each squad pulled down 29 rebounds. Bluffton turned it over six more times (16-10).
The Beavers are off for Christmas break until Thursday, Dec. 29, when they host Ohio State-Lima in the McDonald's of Bluffton Holiday Tournament. The contest is slated for 8 p.m.
-BEAVERS-