December 5, 2009
LEXINGTON, Kentucky - The Bluffton University women's basketball team kept pace with Transylvania throughout the first half, but the Beavers scored just one basket during a 14-minute span in the second stanza as the home team pulled away with the 66-52 win on Saturday, December 5, 2009. Bluffton fell to 3-3 overall and 0-2 in Heartland Conference action, while Transy stayed perfect in the HCAC at 2-0 (6-1 overall).
The Beavers struggled out of the gate, much like they did against Mount St. Joseph on Wednesday night, putting up just a lone KIM MILLER (Delphos/St. John's) free throw through the first five minutes of the game en route to a 7-1 deficit. Miller found sophomore EMILY SHELLABARGER (St. Marys/Memorial) for Bluffton's first basket at the 14:40 mark.
Six straight points from Miller knotted the score at nine with 11:07 on the clock before Transylvania answered with a 7-0 run over the next three minutes. Senior GINNY BUCKINGHAM (Bluffton) sandwiched a pair of chip shots around a BECKY RUBLE (Grover Hill/Wayne Trace) trifecta, cutting the deficit to 18-16 at the 7:06 mark.
Two more Ruble makes from distance and a Buckingham score gave Bluffton a 24-22 lead with 2:39 left in the opening period. Sophomore BETH YODER (Marshallville/Smithville) drained a pair from the charity stripe and Buckingham followed with a freebie before freshman JENNA REYNOLDS (Logan) sent the Beavers to the break with a 29-28 advantage thanks to her buzzer-beater.
A 7-0 spurt by Transy to start the half provided the spark that the Pioneers needed. Just 1:34 into the second half, Bluffton found itself down 35-29. Ruble kept the Beavers close with a pair of hoops, but following Miller's layup at the 14:28 mark the Bluffton offense went on hiatus. Transy pushed its lead to 13 points (48-35) before four Buckingham foul shots made the score 48-39 with 9:18 left in the contest.
An old-fashioned three-point play by Miller gave Bluffton hope as the Beavers trailed by only six points (48-42). However, the visitors managed just six free throws over the next seven minutes while Transy opened a comfortable 62-48 margin. Buckingham knocked down two baskets in the final minute as Transylvania finished with the 66-52 victory.
Ginny Buckingham and Kim Miller both notched double-doubles to pace the Beavers. Buckingham tallied 18 points and 11 rebounds on 5-of-10 shooting from the field and 8-for-10 at the line. Miller went for 13 points, 13 boards, three assists and three steals. She ripped down eight offensive rebounds before fouling out with time winding down. Becky Ruble came off the bench and provided some much needed outside shooting, hitting 3-of-6 from outside the arc for 15 points.
Bluffton hit only 16-of-53 shots from the field (30.2 percent), including a measly 6-of-28 (21.4 percent) in the second half. The Beavers converted 3-of-22 from deep (13.6 percent) with Bluffton 0-of-12 in the final 20 minutes. Transy finished with a 42-37 advantage on the glass and the Pioneers turned the ball over only 12 times, eight less miscues than the visitors committed.
Bluffton returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 9, when the Beavers travel to Anderson for a 7:30 p.m. matchup with the Ravens.
-BEAVERS-