December 28, 2011

WESTERVILLE, Ohio - Otterbein University lived up to its #24 national ranking with a convincing 100-49 victory over visiting Bluffton University on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. The Cardinals opened up a 64-20 lead at the break and never looked back as the Bluffton women fell to 2-8 on the season. Otterbein improved to 10-1 with the opening-night win in the Smokey Ballenger Classic.

A pair of LAUREN HUTTON (New Riegel) buckets following a BRITTANY STEGMAIER(Garfield/Trinity) layup pulled Bluffton within six (12-6) just over five minutes into the contest. FRANCENA TATE (Fostoria/St. Wendelin) added four markers, but a 33-8 jag by the home team gave Otterbein a 45-14 advantage less than nine minutes later.

The Cardinals continued to pour it on during the final six minutes of the opening stanza, building a 64-20 edge at the break. SHARONDA MARTIN'S (Dayton/Stivers) chip shot with 4:04 on the clock was the last score for the Beavers in the first 20 minutes.

Otterbein's lead swelled to 51 points at the 17:22 mark when ALLIE LEOPARD drained a deep ball for the Cardinals. Freshman BRENNA KURILEC (Mt. Gilead/Gilead Christian) found Francena Tate for an easy deuce before a Stegmaier free throw pulled the Beavers within 78-32.

MIKAYLA COBURN (McGuffey/Upper Scioto Valley) converted a hoop-and-harm from fellow freshman RACHEL DEBORD (Lebanon) midway through the second stanza, temporarily slowing the home team. DeBord picked off Otterbein with 20 ticks remaining and went to the rack for two, but it was too little, too late as the home team put the finishing touches on a 100-49 victory over the Beavers.

Stegmaier and Hutton led Bluffton with eight points apiece. SARAH INSKEEP(Morral/Ridgedale), Mikayla Coburn and Stegmaier all pulled down five boards to pace the Beavers.

Otterbein hit 43-of-81 from the field (53.1 percent), compared to 20-of-73 (27.4 percent) for Bluffton. The Beavers connected on just 1-of-13 (7.7 percent) from distance, while the home team was 8-for-23 (34.8 percent). The visitors turned it over 13 more times (20-7), while Otterbein finished with a slim 50-48 edge on the glass.

The Beavers jump back into action Thursday, Dec. 29, when they meet St. Mary's (Ind.) in day two at the Smokey Ballenger Classic. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.

-BEAVERS-