Bluffton, OH - Manchester Men's Basketball dropped an 84-70 HCAC decision at Bluffton on Tuesday night inside the Sommer Center.

The Spartans kept it competitive early, but Bluffton's pace and presence inside began to swing the game. Manchester trailed 36-30 at the break, then matched the Beavers' scoring punch in the second half (40 points) but couldn't close the gap as Bluffton put up 48 after intermission to pull away.

Manchester got a strong perimeter night from its backcourt, drilling 11 three-pointers and finishing with 15 assists on 29 made field goals. Clay McCorkle led the way with 19 points and five assists, knocking down three triples. Ty Lynas added 17 points, six rebounds and two steals, while Ladarius Wallace chipped in 11 points on three made threes. Talan Boehler (6 points) and Logan Brace (8 rebounds) helped steady the rotation, with Brace also contributing two assists.

The difference came in the paint and on the glass. Bluffton scored 50 points in the paint and won the rebounding battle 42-31, including 14 offensive boards that fueled second-chance opportunities and kept Manchester from stringing together stops. The Beavers also turned turnovers into 18 points and generated 20 fast-break points.