November 24, 2007
NEW CONCORD, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team was outscored 30-14 over the last 13 minutes of the first half as Muskingum improved to 3-1 with a 76-54 victory over the Beavers on Saturday, November 24, 2007. Trying to improve on its best start in the past decade, Bluffton converted on only 17-of-71 attempts from the field for 23.6 percent en route to a 2-2 record after four games.
Local product GINNY BUCKINGHAM (Bluffton/Bluffton) knocked down a jumper just 26 seconds into the game for an early 2-0 Bluffton lead thanks to an assist from senior LINDSAY BUSH (Howard/East Knox) who eclipsed the 500 rebound mark for career on Tuesday in the Beavers' 75-49 victory over Earlham College.
A Bush layin and hoop by freshman KIM MILLER (Delphos/St. John's) gave Bluffton a 6-2 lead with just under 16 minutes to play in the first half before the wheels fell off for the Beavers. Bluffton dropped in only one shot, an AMANDA BELL(Napoleon/Liberty Center) jumper midway through the half, over the next eight minutes while Muskingum built a 21-8 lead following a LAURA GIBSON score at the 9:23 mark.
The Muskies opened up a 17-point cushion with 7:02 to play in the half before Buckingham hit from in close and Bush followed with back-to-back buckets at the six-minute mark to make the score 27-16 in favor of the home team.
The Beavers were outscored by Muskingum 11-4 during the last four minutes of period one, seeing an early four-point advantage turn into a 38-20 deficit at the break.
Bluffton started slowly in the second half, falling behind 45-22 with 16 minutes to play. Five straight points from sophomore LINDSAY EBBESKOTTE (Delphos/Jefferson) made it an 18-point game at the 15:12 mark. Five makes from the charity stripe, three from Buckingham and two from Bell, followed by a KATIE LORD (Toledo/Whitmer) hoop trimmed the margin to 15 points, 49-34, with 10:42 on the clock, but that was as close as the Beavers could get.
Muskingum led by as many as 28 points at the 7:22 mark before Lord got to the glass for a layup and then hit from outside the arc to make it a 20-point game with four minutes left in the contest.
A TIFFANI PENCE (Jackson Center/Jackson Center) triple and three Lord freebies made the final score 76-54 in favor of the home Muskies.
Katie Lord and Ginny Buckingham led the Beavers with 11 points each. Lord established a new career-high with her 11 points. Bell and Ebbeskotte chipped in with nine and seven points, respectively. Miller pulled down a team-high eight boards while Bush chipped in with six caroms, giving her 510 for her career. Sophomore VICKI AUER (Cincinnati/Roger Bacon) dished out three assists and Bell picked up four steals.
Pacing Muskingum with a game-high 17 points was RENEE METZGER, while TIFFANY YOUEL chipped in with 15. The only player for either team to finish with double digits in rebounds was JESSICA MCKENZIE who pulled down 13 boards.
Bluffton forced the Muskies into 19 miscues. The Beavers turned the ball over only 13 times. For the game, Bluffton hit just 17-of-71 shots from the field for a paltry 23. 9 percent while Muskingum converted on 26-of-59 attempts (44.1 percent).
Bluffton returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 28, when it hosts Tri-State University in the first game of another women's and men's basketball doubleheader. The contest is slated for 6 p.m. in Founders Hall.
-BEAVERS-