BLUFFTON, OHIO — The Mount St. Joseph University men's basketball team defeated Bluffton University on the road to open HCAC play, 83–68.
Bluffton started off strong, taking a 15–8 lead seven minutes into the game. The Mount settled in, and the rest of the half became a back-and-forth battle. At the 6:52 mark, Michael Loftis hit a three-pointer to give the Lions a 23–22 lead. The remainder of the half featured four ties and five lead changes, but with 0:32 left, Matthew Menninger scored off a pass from Loftis to give the Mount a 32–30 lead heading into halftime. Menninger led the way with 11 points.
The second half remained close until about the 10-minute mark, when the Lions began to pull away. At the 9:30 mark, Bluffton held a 56–55 lead, but Cooper Ollis knocked down a three off a pass from Jason Lavender to give the Lions a 58–56 advantage with 8:38 remaining. The Mount would hold the lead for the rest of the game. After Bluffton's 56–55 edge, the Mount went on a 13–3 run and closed the game on a dominant 21–7 stretch, winning 83–68.
The Mount was led by Cooper Ollis, who recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Jason Lavender added 15 points and 8 rebounds, and Matthew Menninger contributed 15 points and 4 assists.
UP NEXT: The Lions will travel to Lexington, Kentucky, on Saturday, December 6, to take on Transylvania University. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
