By: Jordon Bruner, sports information assistant
February 10, 2007
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team could not handle the Transylvania Pioneers on Saturday, February 10, 2007. Transy dominated the Beavers in the second half for an 82-63 victory in Founders Hall on Senior Night. The loss drops Bluffton to 5-18, including a 3-11 mark in the Heartland Conference.
Bluffton used great team defense to hold the Pioneers scoreless for the first 2:30 minutes of the game, while three-pointers by AMANDA BELL (Napoleon/Liberty Center) and LINDSAY EBBESKOTTE (Fort Jennings/Delphos Jefferson) helped the Beavers grab an early 6-0 advantage.
Transy answered with a 10-2 run capped by a jumper from CINDY BEAVIN, giving the Pioneers a 10-8 lead.
After a Bell lay-up knotted the game at 16, Transy began to heat up from downtown. BRITTANY HENDERLIGHT knocked down two consecutive treys and HALEY RINEY connected on another one to give the Pioneers a 25-18 lead.
Two free throws by VICKI AUER (Cincinnati/Roger Bacon) and a putback by KATIE LORD (Toledo/Whitmer) helped Bluffton pull within four, 28-24, with five minutes to play in the first half.
The Pioneers responded, however, as they extended their lead with an 11-2 stretch right before the half. Bell then scored two of her 11 first-half points on a strong drive to the basket which closed the gap to 39-28 heading into the break.
Bluffton shot 41 percent from the field in the first half, but hurt themselves with nine turnovers. The Beavers held Transy to just 37 percent shooting, however, the Pioneers overcame that poor shooting with nine offensive boards in the first stanza.
Transylvania continued to stretch its lead throughout the first ten minutes of the second half. Henderlight knocked down another trifecta to give the Pioneers a commanding 60-40 advantage.
Bluffton answered that with a 4-0 run on back-to-back buckets by Auer and Buckingham to cut the lead to 16 before the Pioneers responded as Riney connected on two three-pointers during an 8-0 run, giving Transy a 68-42 advantage.
Transy upped its lead to as many as 27 late in the game, but Bluffton closed the gap, holding the Pioneers to two points over the last six minutes of the contest. Two free throws by STEPHANIE JANKOV (Wooster/Wooster) finished the scoring for the night as Transylvania ran away with an 82-63 victory.
The Beavers shot 43 percent from the field for the game, but they were just 4-of-15 from beyond the arc. Bluffton turned the ball over 23 times and gave up 18 offensive rebounds.
Bell, who narrowly missed a double-double, led Bluffton with 16 points and eight rebounds on the night. Auer added 10 points for the Beavers, while Buckingham contributed with eight. TANYA RICKENBERG (Paulding/Paulding), playing in her final game at Founders, dropped in seven points and pulled down four boards.
Bluffton travels to Cincinnati, Ohio, on Wednesday, February 14, to face the Mount St. Joseph Lions. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
-BEAVERS-