BLUFFTON, Ohio. – The Kalamazoo College men's basketball team went on the road for the first time this season to Bluffton on Friday (Nov. 17). The Hornets opened the game on a 10-0 run and didn't look back on their way to their third victory by defeating the Beavers 83-71.
The 10-0 run to open the game helped Kalamazoo hold a 14-point lead with 11:23 remaining in the first half. Bluffton was able to chip away, cutting the Hornets' lead to five with less than four minutes remaining until halftime. Fortunately, K extended the lead back to nine, heading into the locker room.
The Hornets grew the lead even more to begin the second half with four straight three-pointers, getting the lead up to 16. The Beavers made a couple more efforts to shrink the deficit, but Kalamazoo always had an answer, as its lead never dipped below seven points. K made its free throws down the stretch in the 12-point win.
Kalamazoo shot 45.8 percent overall compared to 37.5 percent by Bluffton. Kalamazoo made 10-of-27 three-pointers compared to 5-of-22 by Bluffton. Kalamazoo went 19-of-31 from the free throw line compared to 18-of-22 by Bluffton. The Hornets also outrebounded the Beavers 44-40 and had 16 assists on 27 made field goals.
The leading scorer for Kalamazoo was Gabriel Sharp, who had 18 points off the bench after going five-of-seven from the field, three-of-five from beyond the arc, and five-of-six from the charity stripe. Also scoring double digits for the Hornets were Ty Horky (15), Patrick Perez (13), Lukas Broadsword (11), and Carter Bandemer (10).
Horky was the leading rebounder with eight and Broadsword grabbed seven. Broadsword dished out five assists, while Bobby Samples collected three. Alex Rueff snagged two steals.
Samples (8), Connor Kouki (4), Rueff (3), and JJ Stevens (1) rounded out the scoring for the Hornets.
Kalamazoo will be back in action at Defiance tomorrow (Nov. 18), beginning at 2 p.m.