BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team used a 21-0 run to dispatch visiting Rose-Hulman on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. Bluffton improved to 5-2 overall and 1-1 in the Heartland Conference, while the Engineers slipped to 2-5 and 1-1 in the HCAC.
The Beavers saw their 34-24 lead turn into a 41-40 deficit with 1:52 to play in the third quarter, but Bluffton responded with a 21-0 jag that lasted over seven minutes, culminating with a pair of Mackenzea Townsend free throws that made it 61-41 with just 4:33 remaining in the game! A free throw and triple from Rachel Clark (Lima/Bath) ignited the spurt before Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) converted a fast break layup for a 46-41 Bluffton lead heading to the fourth quarter.
Kayla Prigge (Hamler/Patrick Henry) opened the final stanza with a triple and Madison Brown (Montpelier/North Central) knocked down a pair at the charity stripe before another Fenstermaker bucket pushed the lead to a dozen (53-41). Six straight Clark counters helped Bluffton's lead swell to 61-41 with less than five minutes to play. Four Brown makes from the line followed by a pair of Jessica Moore (Trenton/Edgewood) freebies made the final score 70-54 in favor of the good girls.
Bluffton went up 16-10 in the first quarter on the strength of four Brown free throws and triples from Prigge and Alexis Stevely (Marion/Wynford). Clark and Prigge dialed long distance in period two, while Brown and Fenstermaker chipped in with five and four markers, respectively, on the way to a 32-24 lead at the break. Lindsey Smith (Mount Victory/Kenton) left her imprint on the third quarter, going 3-of-3 from the field for six points to go along with three boards and a block.
Brown put together her first collegiate double-double with 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Clark just missed her career high with 15 counters on 4-of-7 from the field. She also doled out five dimes. Fenstermaker went 6-of-10 from the field for 12 points and Prigge hit three triples en route to 10 points. Smith added eight points, eight boards and a pair of blocks. Prigge picked off three RHIT passes.
Bluffton hit 22-of-53 from the field for 41.5 percent, including 6-of-20 (30 percent) outside the arc. The Beavers also knocked down 20-of-28 freebies (71.4 percent). The home team ripped down 18 more rebounds (47-29), but also coughed it up five more times (21-16).
The Beavers will return to action with a trip to Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. when they face off against HCAC heavyweight Transylvania University following a week of finals.
-BEAVERS-
