Box score
The Bluffton University women's basketball team hit 14-of-27 shots in the second half en route to a convincing 68-51 win at Oberlin College on Tuesday, Nov. 23. Oberlin fell to 1-2 on the season, while the Beavers won their second straight in improving to 2-1.
A pair of Brittany Stegmaier (Garfield Heights/Trinity) triples and two Emily Shellabarger (St Marys/Memorial) free throws gave the Beavers an 8-2 lead less than three minutes into the game. Oberlin responded with six straight counters before a couple Kim Miller (Delphos/St. John's) freebies put Bluffton back on top at the 13:57 mark.
With the score tied at 19, freshman Calandra Manning (Riverside/Stebbins) converted an old-fashioned three-point play for the 22-19 margin with 7:52 to play in the half. Consecutive layins by Jessica Beatty (Kettering/Fairmont), Rachel Daman (Defiance/Tinora) and Emily Shellabarger pushed the lead to nine (28-19) before a Manning free throw made the score 29-19 with less than five minutes on the clock.
Manning's theft and conversion at the other end followed a Shellabarger bucket and made the score 34-21. Oberlin held the Beavers at bay over the final three minutes to pull within seven points (34-27) at the break.
The Bluffton advantage hovered between seven and 11 points until a Stegmaier hoop from outside the arc pushed the lead to 12. She followed with another long ball and the Beavers led 58-45 with only 6:31 to play. Kirstie Runion (Cincinnati/Christian) dialed long distance and Stegmaier hit the hoop and harm to give Bluffton a commanding 64-49 lead.
Freshman Kylee Burkholder (West Unity/Hilltop) got into the scorebook with a chip shot at the 2:26 mark before Stegmaier capped the scoring with a layup for the 68-51 final margin.
Stegmaier established new career highs with 26 points and five three-pointers. She was superb from the field, hitting 10-of-14 shots, including 5-of-7 from distance. She also pulled down seven boards in the win. Manning, who picked up four steals, followed with nine points while Shellabarger chipped in with eight markers and seven rebounds. Kim Miller collected a team-high 10 caroms.
Bluffton hit a solid 26-of-53 (49.1 percent) from the field, compared to just 18-for-61 by Oberlin (29.5 percent). The Beavers buried 8-of-17 (47.1 percent) from beyond the arc and they finished with a 41-33 advantage on the boards. The Yeowomen went 11-of-16 (68.8 percent) at the stripe, while the visitors finished 8-for-12 (66.7 percent).
Bluffton is off this weekend before traveling to Mount St. Joseph to open HCAC action next Wednesday, Dec. 1. The contest with the Lions is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Cincinnati.
