Bluffton University had five players reach double figures in a 76-64 win Saturday against the visiting Franklin College men’s basketball team.
Thayne Recker led the Beavers with 19 points. Andrew Finley and Austin Rohde each chipped in 16 points. Joshua Woodrich scored 11 points and Billy Taflinger rounded out the balanced scoring attack with 10 points.
Bluffton (11-10, 7-7 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) jumped out a 20-8 lead six minutes into the contest. The lead grew to a game-high 16 points, 32-16, after a pair of free throws by Taflinger with 7:28 left in the first half.
Franklin (5-17, 4-11 HCAC) battled back to cut the deficit to single digits at halftime, 44-35.
In the second half, the Grizzlies got consecutive layups from sophomore Aaron Mann to trail 44-39. Mann scored a game-high 23 points.
Bluffton extended the lead to double figures, 52-41, after two free throws by Recker at the 15:34 mark. The Grizzlies cut the margin to eight points on six different occasions, but got no closer the rest of the way.
Sophomore Robbie Prather added 13 points and made three three-point field goals for the Grizzlies.
Franklin returns to action Wednesday against visiting HCAC rival Translvania.
