By Tim Stried
January 18, 2003

Bluffton College held a powerful Transylvania University offense 16 points below their 75.4 points per game average, but the Beavers suffered a 59-47 loss to the Pioneers Saturday afternoon in Founders Hall.

Bluffton's defensive pressure led to TU shooting just over 37% from the field as BC held the Pioneers to their second-lowest offensive point production of the season. Bluffton out-rebounded TU 37-34 and tied a season-high for free throw percentage at 80.0% (12-for-15).

Three Bluffton players scored in double figures and two nearly collected double-doubles. Senior Melissa James, playing in her 92nd career game, led BC with 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while senior Lyndsey Robinson scored 10 points and also had nine rebounds.

Junior Karen Harris chipped in 10 points, including a rare four-point play, while freshman Karen Schaller collected nine rebounds to share game-high honors with James and Robinson.

Bluffton went on a 9-0 run midway through the first half to tie the score at 17-17 with 5:45 remaining before halftime. TU regained the lead at that point but led by just two points at 25-23 when both teams headed to the locker room at the intermission.

The Pioneers, who remain undefeated at 12-0, outscored Bluffton 25-5 to begin the second half to take control of the game and improve to 6-0 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Bluffton outscored the Pioneers 19-8 over the final four and a half minutes of the game to bring the final deficit to 12. The Beavers fall to 1-14 overall and 0-6 in the HCAC.

Senior Tari Young led Transy with a game-high 24 points. These two teams will meet again in Lexington, Ky. on Feb. 15.

Bluffton will travel to Defiance Wednesday night at 7 p.m., with WDOH 107.1 FM bringing the live broadcast.