By: Evan Miller, sports information assistant
January 5, 2008
ANDERSON, Indiana - The Bluffton University women's basketball team could not come up with a win on the road against HCAC foe Anderson University on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008. With the 66-55 loss, the Beavers dropped to 6-6 overall, and 1-3 in Heartland Conference play. The Beavers fell behind early, trailing 7-0 with 17:10 left to go in the first, and they were never able to even the score with the Ravens (6-5, 2-2 HCAC) throughout the first half.
Sophomore GINNY BUCKINGHAM (Bluffton/Bluffton) got the Beavers into the scoring column on a layup following an assist from freshman KIM MILLER (Delphos/St. John's), cutting the Anderson lead to 7-2. A LINDSAY BUSH (Howard/East Knox) layup from AMANDA BELL (Napoleon/Liberty Center) trimmed the Anderson advantage to 17-13 with just over six minutes left in the first half.
The Ravens took a four-point lead into the break courtesy of a KAYLA MARTIN jumper with seven seconds left on the clock, making the score 25-21.
The Beavers managed to trim the lead to a basket early in second-half action when Kim Miller got to the hoop for a score.
Bluffton used a 9-0 run midway through the second half to take a 48-43 lead with just over eight minutes to play. Helping the Beavers forge ahead of the home team were VICKI AUER (Cincinnati/Roger Bacon), who dialed long distance, and Kim Miller who capped the rally with a rebound and tip-in. LINDSAY EBBESKOTTE (Delphos/Jefferson) and Lindsay Bush also hit from in close for the Beavers.
Senior ANGIE LEE (Mt. Blanchard/Vanlue) buried her triple try with 5:16 to play to give the Beavers a 53-49 lead over the Ravens.
A 17-2 jag over the final five minutes of the contest proved to be the difference as Anderson limited the visitors to a lone Bush hoop with 2:45 to play in the Ravens' 66-55 victory over Bluffton.
TIFFANY BOWSHER gave her team the lead for good with two straight field goals, putting the Ravens up 55-53, and Anderson sealed the win by going 8-for-10 at the line down the stretch.
The Beavers were paced in the scoring column by both Kim Miller and Angie Lee, who scored 16 points each. Miller got her points by shooting an impressive 8-for-11 from the field. She and Amanda Bell both dished out five assists in the loss. Ginny Buckingham pulled down a game-high eight rebounds to lead her team. Sophomore STEPHANIE JANKOV (Wooster/Wooster) tied her career-high in rebounds with three boards.
Bluffton hit 22-of-51 from the field for 43.1 percent compared to Anderson's 21-for-51 from the field (41.2 percent). The Ravens made their mark at the line, going 20-of-28 (71.4 percent) and limiting the Beavers to only 7-for-13 (53.8 percent). Bluffton coughed the ball up 19 times, six more than Anderson.
Anderson was led in scoring by guard MANDY SEWARD with 12 points, as well as MEL HAWTHORNE who also lit the Beavers up for 12 in only 19 minutes of action.
The Beavers return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 9, when they travel to face HCAC rival Manchester College. The contest is slated to start at 7:30 p.m. in North Manchester, Indiana.
-BEAVERS-