TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Bluffton University men's basketball team dropped a 74-50 decision at Rose-Hulman on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023. Bluffton fell to 4-9 overall and 2-4 in the Heartland Conference, while RHIT improved to 7-6 with a 4-2 mark in the conference.

Bluffton trailed 16-5 over 11 minutes into the game when a hoop-and-harm for freshman Brady Wheeler (Lima/Shawnee) ignited a 15-4 Beaver splurge. Wheeler followed with two more freebies and senior Miguel Ringer (Cincinnati/Christian) knocked down a jumper to continue the run. A Connor Martin (Holland/Springfield) deuce in the paint and two Michael Stammen (Versailles) knotted the game at 20-20 with 3:26 in the half. Wheeler dialed long distance at the 2:05 mark as Bluffton went to the break down by five (28-23).

Martin connected to open the second stanza and Kegan Owen (Indianapolis, Ind./Greenwood) followed with a couple freebies, but Rose used a 34-10 explosion over the next 10 minutes to end any thoughts of a Bluffton victory. Freshman William Layfield (West Chester/Lakota West) went 3-of-4 at the stripe and Jalen Cromwell (Pickerington/Pickerington Central) hit from distance as Rose capped off its 74-50 victory at Hulbert Arena on Saturday.

Wheeler led the Beavers with 14 points. Owen and Martin finished with seven and six markers, respectively. Stammen led Bluffton with six rebounds.

Bluffton hit just 15-of-48 from the field for 31.3 percent, while RHIT connected on 27-for-58 (46.6 percent). The Beavers also struggled outside the arc, making just 3-of-16 for 18.8 percent, and at the stripe with 17-of-27 shooting (63.0 percent). Rose ripped down 12 more rebounds (44-32) and Bluffton coughed it up six more times (17-11). Rose dominated the paint scoring (38-22) and points off turnovers (27-4).

The Beavers will be back on the road Wednesday night when they travel to Earlham College on January 11. Tip-off from Richmond, Ind., is slated for 7:30 p.m.

-BEAVERS-