Box Score BLUFFTON, Ohio — Four late free throws were the difference on Wednesday night as the Earlham College men's basketball team fell 77-73 at Bluffton University.

The game was tied at 73-73 after Colton Bragg (Richmond, IN, Richmond) hit a 3-pointer with 40 seconds on the clock, but the Beavers finished the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference affair with four free throws in the final 15 seconds.

Justin Barger (Ellettsville, IN, Edgewood) finished with a career-high 21 points as the Quakers had three other players reach double figures. Barger's best total prior to Wednesday was 17 points at Hiram College on Jan. 3, 2009.

Ryan Taylor (Martinsville, IN, Martinsville) scored 17 points, while Bragg and Dustin Rusk (Frankfort, IN, Clinton Prairie) added 10 points each. Marcus Bledsoe (Indianapolis, IN, Ritter) contributed nine points. Rusk led the Quakers with six rebounds and three steals, while Kyle Calder (Crawfordsville, IN, North Montgomery) added six assists.

The game was tight early before the Beavers (9-5, 3-4) worked their way to a 33-21 advantage by the 8:31 mark of the opening stanza.

The Quakers were able to fight back to cut the lead to 37-36 when Bledsoe drilled a 3-pointer with 1:17 remaining. Bluffton added a pair of free throws with six seconds left to go on top 39-36 at intermission.

In the second half, the Quakers held a few leads early in the period with their largest advantage coming at 57-55 with 13:00 left in the contest.

Bluffton tied the game on its next possession and the Beavers built a 69-60 lead with 4:32 remaining.

Earlham again battled back into the contest to tie it for the eighth time when when Bragg hit his trey with 40 seconds on the clock.

From that point, the Beavers were able to make four straight free throws to pick up the win.

Earlham (0-14, 0-7) returns home on Saturday against Hanover College. The HCAC game on Schuckman Court in the Athletics and Wellness Center is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

Box Score