By: Joseph Watkins, sports information assistant
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Bluffton University men's basketball team led by as many as 11 points in the first half and never trailed until the 12:47 mark of the second stanza, but Rose-Hulman took over from there as the Engineers posted a 65-51 victory in Terre Haute on Saturday, Jan. 25. The Beavers fell to 8-9 overall and 4-6 in the Heartland Conference, while Rose upped its mark to 8-9 and 5-5 in the HCAC.
The visitors got out to an early 8-0 lead when junior Ronnie James (Cleveland/Benedictine) nailed a three-point shot with just under 15 minutes to play in the first half. Bluffton would extend their lead to 20-11 on an Isaiah Taylor (Yellow Springs) deuce with 6:37 left in the first stanza. The Beavers controlled the action throughout the first half, but the Engineers would get hot in the second period and their defense was stifling as they handed Bluffton a 65-51 loss in Hulbert Arena.
Bluffton opened up a 11-5 lead when Zeddie Pollock (Mogodore) drained a three ball with 13:49 left in the first stanza. They lead went to ten (17-7) following an Andrew Renner (Cairo/Bath) free throw with 12 minutes on the scoreboard. But the home team would not go away and they climbed back, cutting their deficit to two (24-22) when Eli Combs hit one from distance.
Following the break, the visitors extended their lead to 31-25 when Taylor got to the rack with 17:26 to play. Rose-Hulman would strike back and cut their deficit to 37-35 when Samvit Ram dropped a deuce with less than 14 minutes to play. The home squad took their first lead of the game on a Vuk Djuric free throw and the Engineers did not look back, sealing a come-from-behind victory for the home team.
Andrew Renner with 8-of-14 from the field on the way to his sixth career double double as the senior finished with game highs of 18 points and 13 boards. Taylor and Pollock finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Pollock hit 3-of-6 from long range, while Renner doled out five dimes.
Bluffton hit 22-of-55 from the field (40 percent) but just 5-of-23 (21.7 percent) from outside the arc. The Beavers were perfect at the charity stripe, but they got their just twice while RHIT went 11-of-15 for 73.3 percent. Rose controlled the glass with a 39-31 advantage on the boards and the home team turned it over three fewer times (14-11).
The Beavers return to the Sommer Center on Wednesday, Jan. 29, for a 7:30 p.m. matchup with Earlham College just two weeks after dropping a 74-67 decision to the Quakers in Richmond, Ind. Come out and support your Beavers!
-BEAVERS-