BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University women's basketball team went up by 10 points in the third quarter, but Franklin settled down for a 61-54 victory on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. The Grizzlies stayed atop the HCAC while improving to 11-3 and 6-1 in the Heartland. Bluffton dipped to 6-8 and 2-5 in the conference.
Bluffton struggled to get it going coming out of the gate as Franklin opened a 13-7 lead just over seven minutes into the opening stanza. A Macee Heckathorn (Kenton) chip shot followed by a triple from Madison Brown (Montpelier/North Central) trimmed the deficit to 15-12 heading to the second quarter.
Heckathorn's trey knotted the score at 15 apiece on Bluffton's first touch of period two. Franklin led by as many as five late in the first half, but an Alexis Stevely (Marion/Wynford) three-ball made it 29-25 Grizzlies at the break.
The Beavers trailed 35-31 at the 8:04 mark of the third quarter before a 14-0 Bluffton jag gave the home team a 45-35 advantage less than five minutes later. Stevely, who accounted for half of the 14 points, and Rachel Clark (Lima/Bath) both dialed long distance to ignite the rally. Mackenzea Townsend (Union City/Mississinawa Valley) knocked down a pair of freebies late in the third, but the visitors clawed back to within four points (47-43) on the way to quarter four.
Bluffton managed just three points over the first 7+ minutes of the final stanza and just seven points in the quarter as the Grizzlies did enough to cash in their sixth HCAC victory in seven games (61-54).
Brown put together her 12 career double-double with 17 points and 10 boards. Stevely chipped in a dozen counters, while Karlie Niekamp (Tipp City/Fort Recovery) and Clark added eight apiece. Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) pulled down eight rebounds, while Niekamp finished with six caroms. Clark dished out four assists and Fenstermaker picked up four steals.
The Beavers hit 22-of-58 from the field (37.9 percent), including 5-for-18 (27.8 percent) outside the arc. The home team turned it over four more times (22-18) and Franklin pulled down one more rebound (39-38). The Grizzlies dominated the inside with 46 points in the paint.
Bluffton heads to Richmond, Ind., for a 7 p.m. meeting with the Earlham College Quakers on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
-BEAVERS-
