HANOVER, Ind. – The Hanover Panthers (4-2 overall, 1-0 HCAC) welcomed Anderson to Collier Arena on Wednesday evening as part of their Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener and the Lexi Riggles / Misty Eyes Benefit Game. The Panthers battled the Ravens to a competitive 79-71 victory.

Leading the Panthers in the contest were sophomore Katherine Benter (Brownstown, Ind.) and sophomore Grace Bezold (Covington, Ky.) both with double-doubles. Benter finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds while Bezold netted 18 points and pulled in 10 rebounds. Hanover finished with five players in double figures.

Both teams looked to find an edge early in the contest as Anderson showed their range from three-point before a senior Anna Bauer (Indianapolis, Ind.) runner in the lane and a senior Callie Wilder (North Vernon, Ind.) layup gave HC the slim advantage. Benter added a three-pointer at the 3:36 mark in the first quarter to help propel Hanover to the 17-14 margin.

The back-and-forth battle ensued in the second frame with Anderson reclaiming the 22-19 advantage when Benter once again responded with a three-pointer from the corner at the 7:46 mark. However, the Ravens claimed their largest lead to-date at the midway point in the quarter following their eighth three-pointer of the half, 28-24. The Panthers came storming back taking the 36-35 halftime advantage following blows by Bezold and Heath.

Much like the first half, the second half saw both teams jockey for position. Hanover finally found momentum using a 6-0 run capped by a junior Maddi Sears (Carmel, Ind.) free throw at the 6:40 mark to give Hanover the 45-41 lead. The Panthers continued to push as they strung together another significant run paced by Bezold en route to the double-digit third quarter difference, 64-54.

Hanover looked to pull away in the final frame, but Anderson had other things in mind as they were able to cut the deficit to 66-63 with just 6:00 minutes remaining. Heath finally halted the surge at the 4:26 mark giving Hanover a little bit of breathing space. But once again, the 2021 HCAC Player of the Year turned up big for the Ravens pulling them within 74-71. The push wasn't enough as the Blue and Red were able to combat the attack and secure the HCAC victory.

Hanover returns to action on Saturday, December 3 when they travel to HCAC foe Bluffton. Game time is set for 2:00 PM.