BLUFFTON — The host Beavers defeated Franklin 96-73 in men’s basketball Saturday to secure the sixth and last seed int he Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament.
Each team entered Saturday’s encounter with 7-10 conference records, creating an elimination game. Bath graduate Andrew Renner had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Andrew Hunter scored 21 and contributed seven assists, Kevin Christie had 20 points and Lincolnview grad Justis Dowdy finished with 10 points for the Beavers (11-14).
Bluffton will open tournament play at third-seeded Hanover College at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
UNOH 63, Aquinas 62
LIMA — Sadeeq Bello converted a field goal with 35 seconds remaining and then the University of Northwestern Ohio did not allow Aquinas any more points to earn the victory.
Despite the win, the Racers (14-16) did not make the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, losing out in the tiebreakers to Siena Heights and Concordia after each team finished 7-13 in conference games.
Bello finished with 15 points. Willis Mackey Jr. had 12 points and a dozen rebounds and Corbin Pierce finished with 11 points also for UNOH.
Marietta 88, Ohio Northern 68
ADA — With the loss, the Polar Bears (17-8 overall, 12-6 Ohio Athletic Conference) will be the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament, while the Pioneers (20-5, 14-4) grabbed the No. 2 seed.
ONU will play host to sixth-seeded Capital at 8 p.m. Tuesday in a tourney quarterfinal.
Against Marietta, Nate Burger had a team-high 28 points, four rebounds and a game-high seven assists.
Max Harnett contributed nine points Joey DiOrio had a team-best six rebounds also for ONU.
Women’s roundup
ONU 93, Marietta 85 (2 OT)
MARIETTA — It took 50 minutes, including two overtime periods for No. 21-ranked ONU to grind out a victory over Marietta and claim the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season title outright at Ban Johnson Arena.
The Polar Bears moved to 21-4 overall and 15-3 in the OAC, while the Pioneers fell to 21-4 (14-4 OAC).
Amy Bullimore had a team-best 25 points and added a game-best 16 rebounds to pace the Polar Bears.
ONU also got a career-high 15 points from Bath grad Alyssa Manley while teammates Alexis Kirkbride and Marion Local alum Emily Mescher each added 12 points. Mescher also had a career-high 10 rebounds.
The top-seeded Polar Bears will play host to No. 8 seed Wilmington in the opening round of the OAC tournament at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Bluffton 98, Franklin 82
BLUFFTON — Allen East graduate Kaycee Rowe had 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists and Nora Hemminger (14), TJ Mills (13), Breanna Graham (13) and Macey Sheerer (10) also each scored in double digits for the host Beavers.
Bluffton, which finished the regular season at 19-6 overall and 14-4 in the HCAC, will open conference tournament play as the No. 3 seed, by playing host to sixth-seeded Mt. St. Joseph at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Aquinas 77, UNOH 54
LIMA — Bath grad Danielle VanDyne had 14 points and Kierra Billingsley scored 12 as UNOH finished its season 7-22 overall and 3-17 in the WHAC.
