December 22, 2009
TIFFIN, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team rallied from 14 points down (50-36) with 12:52 to play, trimming the deficit to a single point with 2:43 left, but Heidelberg University made three foul shots and kept the Beavers off the scoreboard during the final 1:54 for a 65-61 win in Seiberling Gymnasium on Tuesday, December 22, 2009. Bluffton fell to 3-7 with its sixth consecutive setback, while the 'Berg improved to 3-7 on the season.
A Betsy Shrider fasbreak layup just inside the 13-minute mark gave the home team a commanding 50-36 lead over the Bluffton women, setting the stage for a deliberate comeback that encompassed over 10 minutes of game clock. Sophomore sharpshooter BECKY RUBLE(Grover Hill/Wayne Trace) dialed long distance with 11:51 to play, making it an 11-point game and igniting the turnaround. Senior post GINNY BUCKINGHAM (Bluffton) quickly followed with a deuce and after converting both attempts from the stripe with just over nine minutes left, the Beavers were down by eight (52-44).
Junior standout KIM MILLER (Delphos/St. John's) sandwiched a pair of buckets around an ALICIA AMIS (Woodstock/Mechanicsburg) layup to pull Bluffton within six points before a BRITTANY STEGMAIER (Garfield/Trinity) deep ball made the score 58-53 in favor of the Student Princes. Following a pair of Heidelberg freebies, Ruble drained a trey and Kim Miller added three counters to make it a one-point game.
STACY BARKER, who lit the Beavers up with five early triples, converted her only deuce of the game before Buckingham got to the rack for two points. The Beavers were unable to take advantage, missing their final five attempts of the contest as Heidelberg nailed down the victory at the charity stripe.
Ruble and KIRSTIE RUNION (Cincinnati/Cin. Christian) hit triples early on to keep Bluffton in the game as Stacy Barker went 3-of-4 from distance during the first eight minutes en route to a 15-14 Heidelberg lead with 12:23 to play in the half. A VICKI AUER (Cincinnati/Roger Bacon) trifecta knotted the contest at 17, but the home team answered with a 13-2 jag over the next three minutes for a 30-19 advantage at the 7:03 mark.
Buckingham slowed the onslaught with layin and fellow senior KATIE LORD (Toledo/Whitmer) drained a three to make it 30-24 with 4:40 to go in the period. Three minutes of scoreless basketball gave way to a pair of Betsy Shrider free throws which upped the Princes' lead to eight points. Miller got free in the paint for a hoop with 47 seconds left as Bluffton found itself in a 33-27 hole at the break.
The Beavers were outscored 16-9 during the first eight minutes of the second stanza as Heidelberg buried three treys to push the lead out to 14 points with 12:52 to play. Runion chipped in four points while Yoder connected on a three-ball early in the half.
Ball handlers Kirstie Runion and Vicki Auer paced the Bluffton offense with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Kim Miller, who pulled down 11 boards, and Ginny Buckingham, who paced the Beavers with 12 caroms, chipped in with nine and eight points, respectively, just missing out on a pair of double-doubles. Ruble hit 3-of-4 from distance for nine points. Alicia Amis dished out three assists and Miller blocked a pair of shots in the loss.
Bluffton struggled from the field, going 21-of-57 from the field (36.8 percent), while Heidelberg was slightly better at 20-of-52 (38.5 percent). Both teams pulled down 37 boards and committed 16 turnovers, but Heidelberg made five more free throws than the visitors (16-11). Betsy Shrider did the job defensively for Heidelberg, coming up with 16 rebounds while blocking seven shots. JENNY MILLER and Barker topped the Heidelberg scorers with 19 and 17 points, respectively.
The Beavers return to action following the Christmas holiday when they travel to face nationally ranked Trinity University-Texas on Monday, December 28. The contest is slated to start at 8 p.m. Central Time.
-BEAVERS-