December 8, 2007
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team used a 26-7 jag during the first 15 minutes of the second half to pick up its first Heartland Conference victory of the season at Rose-Hulman on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007. The Beavers improved to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in the HCAC while the Engineers dropped to 3-3 after suffering their first conference setback of the year, 57-45.
Although Bluffton failed to knock down a basket until ANGIE LEE (Mt. Blanchard) hit from outside the arc with 8:41 to play in the first half, the Beavers trailed by only two points, 14-12, following an AMANDA BELL (Napoleon/Liberty Center) triple at the 5:52 mark.
Less than a minute later, VICKI AUER (Cincinnati/Roger Bacon) dialed long distance to give Bluffton its first lead, 15-14, since her two free throws with 15:51 on the clock put the Beavers up 3-2.
When Angie Lee hit Bluffton's only two-point bucket of the first half, the Beavers found themselves knotted with the Engineers, 18-18, at the 2:10 mark.
Rose rolled off the final seven points of the half, including five free throws, to take a 25-18 lead over the visitors at the break.
Neither team found the rims to their liking early in the second half as the Beavers scored the only two baskets during the first five minutes of action, an Auer trifecta and a KIM MILLER (Delphos/St. John's) hoop. Lee and BETHANY BRISCO of Rose-Hulman traded three-pointers before Bluffton scored six unanswered to take a 34-28 lead over the home team midway through period two.
Following another Auer bomb, sophomore GINNY BUCKINGHAM (Bluffton/Bluffton) went coast-to-coast for Bluffton's largest lead of the game, a 12-point margin with 5:29 to play.
The Engineers rallied for nine straight points to make it a three-point Bluffton lead, 44-41, two minutes later. Bell answered the call with a jumper and Buckingham stepped outside and buried her first three-pointer of the year to make it 49-41 with 2:19 left to play.
Lee hit from in close and Bell and Miller combined to go 6-for-6 at the line down the stretch as the Beavers picked up their first Heartland Conference victory of the season over Rose-Hulman, 57-45.
Leading three Beavers in double digits was senior Angie Lee who hit 5-of-11 from the field for 13 points. Auer and Buckingham, who was 4-for-7 on field goals, dropped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. Buckingham picked up a career-high high seven steals and pulled down a team-high five rebounds. Bell added nine points while Miller chipped in with eight and a game-high five assists. Auer and Lee both nailed three triples in the Bluffton victory.
Despite going 4-of-19 from the field in the first half, the Beavers found their stroke in the second stanza, hitting 12-of-23 (52.2 percent) shots, including 5-for-8 (62.5 percent) from long distance. The Engineers won the battle on the boards, 40-29, but Bluffton committed six less turnovers than the home team. The Beavers picked up 14 steals compared to just four for the Engineers. Rose made only 16-of-51 shots in the contest (31.4 percent), including 1-of-12 outside the arc.
The Beavers return to action on Friday, Dec. 14, when they welcome Oberlin College to Founders Hall. The contest is slated to tip at 8 p.m.
-BEAVERS-