By: Ryan Schadewald, sports information assistant
December 14, 2013

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team came back from a double-digit second half deficit, using a 34-15 jag over the final 15 minutes, to walk away with a 73-62 victory over the Anderson University Ravens on Saturday, Dec. 14. The Beavers were led by a stellar performance from sophomore BROOKE RUFFER (Stryker), who put up 19 points and pulled down a career-high 18 boards, which helped Bluffton improve to 4-4 overall and 2-1 in Heartland Conference play.

The teams traded buckets through the first 10 minutes of the contest with neither squad leading by more than five markers. However, after a Ruffer layup, the Ravens stormed to a 9-0 run, pushing their lead to double digits (30-19) at the 6:48 mark of the half. Bluffton responded with a 9-0 run, including a Ruffer lay-in, a BELICIA COOPER (Painesville/Riverside) jumper, a deep ball from KAITLYN PENNEKAMP (Hamilton/Ross) and two TAYLOR KNIGHT (Perrysburg) freebies which made it 30-28 at the 4:05 mark.

After Anderson led by four points at the break, their advantage ballooned to eight points in the first five minutes of period two. A 9-1 run for Bluffton started to shift the momentum with 8:47 remaining. Anderson regained the lead and pushed it as high as three points before a 15-0 Beaver spurt gave Bluffton a double-digit advantage and the visitors made it stand up for a 73-62 victory.

The Beavers put four players in double figures, led by Ruffer's 19-point, 18-rebound performance. It marked Ruffer's eighth career double-double. Sophomore guard TAYLOR WHITAKER (Mansfield/Lexington) chipped in with 12 points, while freshman center RACHEL BEINING(Ottoville) added 12 counters. Pennekamp scored 11 in the Beaver victory and sophomore guard Taylor Knight finished with nine.

Anderson had four in double figures as well. They were led MALLORY KING and SHELBY SHAFFER who scored 15 apiece. JENNA WITTENBERG added 14 points while NYOMI DEFIEL scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a losing effort.

The Bluffton women will take a two-week holiday break from games before returning to action on Saturday, Dec. 28, with the opening round of the McDonalds of Bluffton and Monsanto Holiday Tournament at the Sommer Center. Bluffton will take on the Barons from Ohio State University's Lima campus in the 8 p.m. game. Trine University and Brescia College open the tournament at 6 p.m. The consolation and championship of the tournament will be Sunday, Dec. 29, at 1 and 6 p.m. respectively.

-BEAVERS-