BLUFFTON, OHIO – Manchester University saw more balanced scoring from its offense, but another late rally for the opposition thwarted a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference win opportunity Wednesday, Jan. 17.

MU, falling to 2-14 overall and 0-9 in the conference, fought back and forth with Bluffton University over the 40 minutes on Copeland Court inside the Sommer Center. Both sides held leads during the evening, but the host Beavers broke away midway through the second frame for what seemed an insurmountable eight-point edge (61-53). Enter a comeback from Coach Gerad Good's bunch who went on a 10-2 roll to tie it at 63-63 with just under four minutes left. From that point, the home side managed to tally eight of the last 11 points for the 71-66 victory.

The Black and Gold ended the night with four players in double figures. Senior forward/center Enis Becirevic (Fort Wayne, Ind.) led the quartet with 17 points, while junior guard Adrian Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind.) and senior forward Kenny Doss, Jr. (Chicago, Ill.) finished with 12 apiece. Freshman forward/center Cornell "C.J." Hampton (Griffith, Ind.) was next in line, resuming an impressive recent stretch by posting 11 points and nine rebounds.

The second half of the 2017-18 HCAC slate opens Saturday, Jan. 20. Manchester University faces off with Earlham College at EC's Schuckman Court inside Druley Performance Gymnasium. Game time is 4 p.m.