FRANKLIN, Ind. - The Bluffton University women's basketball team battled HCAC-stalwart Franklin, falling 61-50 on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. Bluffton fell to 9-11 overall and 5-8 in the Heartland Conference, while the Grizzlies improved to 16-4 and 11-2 in the HCAC.

Senior Madison Brown (Montpelier/North Central) sandwiched a pair of buckets around a Rachel Clark (Lima/Bath) layup, knotting it at six apiece midway through the first frame. Jessica Moore (Trenton/Edgewood) broke the tie with a three-ball before baskets by Mackenzea Townsend (Union City/Mississiniwa Valley) and Lacie Fenstermaker (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) made the score 15-13 in favor of the Grizzlies after period one.

A 10-2 spurt by the Grizzlies pushed it to 25-15 just over three minutes into the second quarter, but eight straight for good guys, including four apiece from Brown and Fenstermaker, trimmed the deficit to 25-23 at the 4:24 mark. Fenstermaker's fifth deuce of the first half helped the Beavers stay within striking distance (31-26) at the break.

Clark dialed long distance and Townsend converted a stickback, making it a four-point game (37-33) with 6:14 to play in the third quarter. A smooth layin by Clark kept the deficit at four midway through the stanza. Bluffton managed just a pair of Brown freebies over the final 4+ minutes of the third period as the home team carried a 44-37 lead into the final quarter.

Moore cashed in from outside the arc early in the fourth, pulling Bluffton within 44-40. However, Franklin responded with a 12-3 run that pushed the lead to 56-43. Townsend and Fenstermaker contributed late buckets for the Beavers, but Franklin stayed atop the Heartland Conference with a 61-50 victory following a Clark triple as time was winding down.

Fenstermaker hit 7-of-13 from the field for a team-high 15 points. Brown and Clark added 10 apiece, while Townsend chipped in with eight markers. Fenstermaker ripped down 10 boards for her eighth career double-double. Brown chimed in with eight rebounds. Townsend added seven rebounds, while Clark dished out four assists.

Bluffton hit 20-of-54 from the field (37 percent), but just 4-of-18 (22.2 percent) from distance. The home team pulled down two more rebounds (39-37), while the Beavers turned it over five more times (16-11).

The Bluffton women will be back in the Sommer Center for a 7 p.m. tip-off with Earlham College on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026.

-BEAVERS-