Tiffin, Ohio – December 22, 2009 – The trio of junior Jenny Miller (Tiffin, Ohio / Clyde) and seniors Betsy Shrider (Mount Blanchard, Ohio / Riverdale) and Stacey Barker (Grove City, Ohio / Gove City) led the Heidelberg University women’s basketball team to a 65-61 non-conference victory over Bluffton University tonight, December 22, in Seiberling Gymnasium, on the campus of Heidelberg.
The win improves Heidelberg, and second-year head coach Marcie Alberts, to 3-7 overall and increases its home record to a perfect 3-0. The Beavers fall to 3-7 with the setback.
Shrider posted a career night on defense. She hauled in a career-best 16 rebounds, along with blocking a career-high seven shots. She was one shy of the single-game record for blocked shots. Shrider also contributed eight points, including a 6-for-6 showing at the free throw line.
Miller led the way with a game-high 19 points after shooting 7-of-12 from the field. She also had two rebounds. Miller has finished in double figures in nine of Heidelberg’s 10 games on the year, including its last four-straight. Barker backed Miller with 17 points, including 15 points from behind the arc.
For the game, Heidelberg and Bluffton were even on the glass with 37 rebounds apiece. Heidelberg shot .385 (20-of-52) from the field, while Bluffton finished at .368 (21-of-57).
Leading the way for Bluffton was Kirstie Runion with 12 points and Ginny Buckingham with 12 boards.
In the opening half, Heidelberg jumped out to a five point lead, 8-3, just 1:30 into the contest behind two treys from Barker. Bluffton battled back and took a 14-12 lead with 12:37 on the clock. Barker answered with another three-pointer to ignite an 18-5 Heidelberg run to give the Berg an 11-point advantage, 30-19, with just over seven minutes left in the opening half. Heidelberg entered the locker room with a 33-27 lead.
Heidelberg opened the second half with a 10-4 run to push its leads back to double digits at 12, 43-31. The Berg extended its lead to as many as 14 points and held off a late Bluffton rally. The Beavers battled back to pull within a point on two occasions in the final three minutes, with the later coming at the 1:54 mark. Heidelberg’s defense held Bluffton scoreless over the final 1:54 to claim the victory.