By: Brandy Bidlack, sports information assistant
December 21, 2007
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team ran into a hot shooting tandem from Heidelberg on Friday, December 21, 2007, and fell to the Student Princes by a final score of 71-60. The Beavers dropped to 6-5 on the season while Heidelberg improved to 5-4.
A three-pointer from ANGIE LEE (Mt. Blanchard/Vanlue) gave Bluffton its only lead of the game at the 18:36 mark. Responding to a 5-0 run by Heidelberg, GINNY BUCKINGHAM (Bluffton/Bluffton) chipped in two points to tie the score.
VICKI AUER (Cincinnati/Roger Bacon) picked up an offensive rebound and added two points for the Beavers, but the Student Princes' offense proved to be tough for the Beavers to stop.
At the 11-minute mark, a layup and free throw by senior LINDSAY BUSH (Howard/East Knox) capped a 5-0 Bluffton run and tied the score at 16.
Heidelberg answered with a 9-0 rally before Bluffton called timeout to try and regroup. Angie Lee responded with three layups, cutting the Heidelberg lead to just five points with 3:16 to play in the first half.
KIM MILLER (Delphos/St. John's) got to the rack for a Bluffton basket, while a dish from AMANDA BELL (Napoleon/Liberty Center) to Bush made the score 29-26 in favor of the visitors. A pair of Ginny Buckingham free throws again cut the deficit to three points before Auer's triple try with the clock winding down was just off the mark.
To start the second half, seniors Amanda Bell and Angie Lee each drove to the hole and converted, but an 11-4 Heidelberg jag gave the Student Princes a 50-38 lead at the 13:12 mark.
KATIE LORD (Toledo/Whitmer) hit from downtown, while Bush and Buckingham both made good from in close to make it a six-point game with just under eight minutes left in the contest. Lee and Miller followed with jumpers to help Bluffton stay within six points.
Heidelberg's countered with five straight points, including a MORGAN HARRIGAN triple, to push the lead back up to 11 points with 3:34 to play. An old-fashioned three-point play by Vicki Auer gave the Beavers hope with a minute to play, but Heidelberg held on for a 71-60 victory in Founders Hall.
Lee led the Beavers with 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Lindsay Bush was 7-of-8 from the field for 16 points off the bench. Buckingham chipped in with eight points, seven boards and an assist. Miller added seven points, eight rebounds, two assists and a block. Auer chipped in with five points, five boards, four assists and two steals. Bell picked up two steals and ripped down six rebounds.
The Beavers struggled to find BRITTANY SKOLNICKI who paced Heidelberg with a game-high 33 points on 15-of-23 shooting from the field. She also pulled down four rebounds. Morgan Harrigan, who came into the contest averaging 4.5 points per game, drilled 7-of-10 shots from outside the arc for 21 points. AMANDA CAMPBELL finished with 10 rebounds for the Student Princes
Bluffton sank 26-of-58 (44.8 percent) from the field for the game. The Beavers hit only two three-pointers, while the Student Princes made 8-of-20 (40 percent) from behind the arc. Bluffton grabbed seven more boards than Heidelberg (37-30), but the Beavers turned the ball over 15 times compared to a Heidelberg squad that committed only eight miscues.
The Beavers are now off for the holidays before they return to action on Saturday, January 5, 2008, when they travel to face Heartland Conference rival Anderson University. The contest is slated to start at 3 p.m.
-BEAVERS-