BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team was bound and determined to keep game five from going down to the last possession and they did just that, rolling to a comfortable 78-53 victory over visiting Heidelberg University on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. Bluffton improved to 4-1 on the season, while the Student Princes head into Thanksgiving with an 0-4 mark.
Buckets by seniors Kayla Prigge (Hamler/Patrick Henry) and Tamron Brinkman (Dayton/East Dayton Christian) put Bluffton up 4-0 just over a minute into the game. A Prigge triple followed by eight Madison Brown (Montpelier/North Central) points in a span of two minutes pushed the lead to 15-3 midway through the first period. A seven-point splurge in the final minute, capped by a Rachel Clark (Lima/Bath) hit from ditance, made it 26-13 after the first frame.
The Bluffton offense was sluggish in quarter two for everyone but Prigge who went 4-of-5 from the field for nine of the 11 Beaver counters. She put her head down and got to the rack repeatedly for uncontested deuces. Brinkman hit from in close with 41 seconds on the clock, giving Bluffton a 37-26 lead at the break.
A 25-point quarter for the Beavers effectively iced the game with 10 minutes to play. Bluffton was a blistering 10-of-14 (71.4 percent) from the field, including 3-of-3 for Brown and 2-for-2 from Brinkman. The high-low game was in rare form with Lindsey Smith (Mount Victory/Kenton) dishing out three dimes in the period, finding Brinkman open under the hoop time and again.
The home team led 62-35 going to the final stanza, allowing Head Coach Chad Shutler to substitute liberally. Sophomore Alexis Stevely (Marion/Wynford) dropped in nine of her career-high 14 points in the fourth, dialing long distance twice. Brinkman added four of her career-best 12 markers in the final period, going 2-of-2 from the field.
Bluffton was a red-hot 30-of-61 (49.2 percent) from the field, including an efficient 5-of-11 (45.5) outside the arc. The Beavers also knocked down 13-of-16 (81.3 percent) freebies. Heidelberg pulled down three more rebounds (35-32), but the Student Princes turned it over a whopping 14 more times (23-9).
Brown and Prigge led the way with 16 points apiece. Prigge went 7-of-10, with Brown connecting on 6-of-11 from the field. Stevely tallied 14 points on 5-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-4 from distance. Brinkman hit a ridiculous 6-of-7 field goals for a dozen markers. Smith pulled down six rebounds and equaled her career best with five helpers. She also swatted away four Heidelberg offerings!
Bluffton will go into Turkey Day winners of four straight, just a half court Olivet prayer at the buzzer away from a perfect 5-0 start. The Beavers will be back in the Sommer Center for the Heartland Conference lidlifter on Wednesday, Dec. 4, when Mount St. Joseph makes the two-hour trek up Interstate 75. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
-BEAVERS-