January 25, 2017
By: Colton Steiner, sports information assistant
CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team hit the road to do battle with Mount St. Joseph on Wednesday, Jan. 25. Despite nearly three quarters of shooting struggles, the visitors were able to pull out a 56-45 win. The victory pushes the Beavers to 15-3 overall with a 9-2 mark in the HCAC. The loss dropped Mount St. Joseph to 1-17 (0-11 HCAC) on the season.
Bluffton hit just 5-of-38 from the field (13.2 percent) in the first 20 minutes as the visiting team went into the break trailing the Lions by a 21-14 count. MACEY SHEERER (Bucyrus) got the Beavers going in the second half after hitting a layup off a dish from KAYCEE ROWE (Harrod/Allen East). Bluffton would go on a 9-0 run to end the quarter, before rolling off the first 14 points of the final stanza as the Beavers turned a 36-24 deficit into a 47-36 lead with 4:44 to play. A 23-0 jag over an eight-minute span proved to be the difference for a Bluffton team looking to stay within a game of HCAC-leading Rose-Hulman.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Beavers with Macey Sheerer and RACHEL BEINING (Ottoville) scoring 12 of their first 14 points of the quarter. ABIGAIL O'DONNELL (Arcanum) converted 4-of-4 free throws in the final 30 seconds as Bluffton escaped Cincinnati with a 56-45 victory.
Leading the charge for the visitors was Kaycee Rowe who stuffed the stat sheet as she poured in a game-high 19 points with 11 rebounds for her fifth career double-double. Rowe dished out five assists and equaled her career high with six steals. Macey Sheerer added 16 counters and Rachel Beining picked up 11. Sheerer's first board of the night was career rebound number 500 for the junior who now stands 11th all-time with 506 caroms!
Despite pulling out the win, the shooting night was one that should be forgotten as the Beavers were only 16-of-66 (24.2 percent) from the field and 1-of-11 (9.1 percent) from downtown. The Lions weren't much better as they went 16-of-46 (34.8 percent) from the floor and 2-of-13 (15.4 percent) from behind the arc. The Beavers were all over the glass, dominating the rebounding battle (51-32), including 29 offensive rebounds. Bluffton was also able to force 21 Mount St. Joseph turnovers, seven more miscues than the visitors committed.
Bluffton will return home to face Rose-Hulman in a crucial HCAC matchup on Alumni Day (10 a.m. tip). The game is set to be played at 1 p.m. prior to the men's contest. Come out and support your Beavers as the revealing of J. Denny and Jenny Beaver will occur at halftime of the men's game.
-BEAVERS-