December 10, 2016
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - It was deja vu for the Bluffton University women's basketball team when they traveled to Terre Haute, Ind. for a matchup with Rose-Hulman on Saturday, Dec. 10. The Engineers handed Bluffton its first loss of the season in game eight after snapping the Beavers school-record start in game 19 a season ago. RHIT improved to 7-2 overall with a perfect 3-0 mark in the Heartland Conference, while Bluffton fell to 6-1 and 2-1 in the HCAC.
The Rose-Hulman defense was ready for the challenge, holding Bluffton 30 points below its 76 PPG scoring average. The Beavers were limited to single digits in both the third and fourth quarters as Rose outscored the visitors 26-18 in the second half.
A JESSICA BOGGAN (Cincinnati/Princeton) bucket put Bluffton up 13-6 with 3:16 to play in the opening quarter before six straight Rose points made the score 13-12 just over a minute later. Following two BREANNA GRAHAM (Springboro) freebies, the Engineers got to the rack twice in the final 40 seconds for a 16-15 lead at the end of one.
Despite being held scoreless for the first three minutes of period two, a TJ MILLS (Dayton/Chaminade-Julienne) triple and consecutive RACHEL BEINING (Ottoville) deuces knotted the score at 22. With Rose back up by five late in the half, Mills went back to work with two layins in the last 30 seconds, including a steal and conversion with seven ticks left which pulled Bluffton within one (29-28) at the break.
Mills dialed long distance coming out of halftime and MACEY SHEERER (Bucyrus) followed with an old-fashioned three-point play for a 34-31 Bluffton lead. The home team outscored Bluffton 7-1 over the final two minutes of the third quarter for a 42-37 lead heading to the final stanza. The Beavers pulled within three points twice in the fourth, but Rose continued to keep the defensive pressure up in the crucial 55-46 win at Hulbert Arena.
Beining paced the Beavers with 14 points and eight rebounds. Mills and Sheerer chipped in with 13 and 10 points, respectively. KAYCEE ROWE (Harrod/Allen East) handed out a team-high five assists and Sheerer pulled down five boards.
The Beavers struggled to a 30-percent shooting afternoon from the field (15-of-30), compared to 21-of-45 (46.7 percent) for the Engineers. Rose pulled down seven more rebounds (34-27), but also turned it over five more times (22-17). RHIT also finished with six blocks. Bluffton was again proficient from the line, hitting 14-of-16 for 87.5 percent.
Bluffton will be off until next Saturday with a week of finals up next for the Beavers. The women host Franklin College at 2 p.m. in the Sommer Center on December 17.
-BEAVERS-