Box Score HANOVER, Ind. – Hanover (15-5 overall, 9-4 HCAC) celebrated senior day with a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory over Bluffton, 83-57. Prior to tip-off, Hanover celebrated seniors Katherine Benter, Grace Bezold, and Kady Clancy.
 
With emotions running high on senior day, the Panthers slowly settled in.  Senior Grace Bezold (Covington, Ky.) provided the team's first pair of blows before a sophomore Sammy Berman (Independence, Ky.) layup put them in front, 6-4. Bluffton forced the tempo in the first frame using their transition offense to stay within shooting distance. But aggressive play by junior Kaitlyn Lorenzi (Brentwood, Tenn.) and Bezold's 11 first-quarter points propelled them in front 27-14.
 
Scoring for both programs drastically slowed down in the second quarter as neither team was able to develop a strong attack. Bluffton used the decline to cut into the deficit, 32-21 when Bezold took over. The senior dominated the paint helping to send HC into the intermission with a commanding 44-27 lead.
 
Senior Kady Clancy (Scottsburg, Ind.) showed off her range in the second half hitting a three-pointer that springboarded the scoring. Senior Katherine Benter (Brownstown, Ind.) and Bezold played a two-man game that helped extend the score at the midway point, 56-37. Bluffton was able to make up some ground on poor shooting by the Panthers entering the final frame trailing 60-47.
 
The Blue and Red remained poise outscoring the Beavers of Bluffton in the final frame 21-10 en route to the HCAC win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Bezold – 26 pts. | 14 reb. | 3 stl.
Wines – 14 pts. | 2 ast.
Berman – 12 pts. | 3 stl.
Lorenzi – 9 pts. | 5 reb.

Hanover returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 5 when they welcome Rose-Hulman to Collier Arena for a 7:00 PM tip-off.