RICHMOND, Ind. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team dropped a 70-66 decision at Earlham on an icy Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. The Quakers improved to 5-15 overall and 1-12 in the Heartland Conference, while Bluffton slipped to 10-11 and 4-10 in the HCAC.
Sophomore Alexis Stevely (Marion/Wynford) knocked down a triple with 3:10 to play in the opening frame and Madison Brown (Montpelier/North Central) added a pair of charity tosses with 11 seconds on the clock, but Earlham lit it up for a commanding 26-11 lead after period one.
The home team was still up 14 (39-25) when the Beavers went to work. Senior Lindsey Smith (Mt. Victory/Kenton) jump-started a 14-0 jag to end the first half. Brown scored four buckets and sophomore Rachel Clark (Lima/Bath) beat the buzzer, making it 39-39 at the break.
Junior Katie Sims (Perrysburg) and Clark nailed deuces and Brown dialed long distance as Bluffton went up 46-41 less than two minutes into the third stanza. A pair of Brown foul shots snapped a 9-0 Earlham spurt before a Tamron Brinkman (Dayton, Ohio/East Dayton Christian) layin knotted it back up at 50-50. Freshman Mackenzea Townsend (Union City/Mississinawa Valley) and Smith hit a couple chip shots late in the quarter, giving the visitors a 59-57 lead with 10 minutes to play.
A hoop and harm for Clark put Bluffton up 64-59 midway through the final frame, but the Quakers used an 11-2 run over the final 4:10 to secure their 70-66 victory on Wednesday night.
Brown led the way with her fifth double double, scoring 22 points and ripping down a career-best 11 boards. Smith just missed out on a double-double with eight points and 11 rebounds. Sims equaled her career highs with 10 points and two triples. Smith, Brown and Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) all dished out three assists for the Beavers.
Bluffton hit 28-of-68 from the field (41.2 percent), but just 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) on triples. The Beavers pulled down eight more rebounds (44-36), however, they also turned it over eight more times (18-10).
The women will be back in the Sommer Center on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, when they host HCAC-leading Transylvania University. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. following the 1 p.m. men's matchup with the Pioneers.
-BEAVERS-