Bluffton, Ohio - Bluffton University had five players reach double figures in defeating the Franklin College men's basketball team 76-64 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) action on Saturday.

Thayne Recker led the Beavers with 19 points. Andrew Finley and Austin Rohde each chipped in 16 points. Joshua Woodrich scored 11 points and Billy Taflinger rounded out the balanced scoring attack with 10 points.

Bluffton (11-10, 7-7 HCAC) jumped out a 20-8 lead six minutes into the contest. The lead grew to a game-high 16 points, 32-16, after a pair of free throws by Taflinger with 7:28 left in the first half.

Franklin battled back to cut the deficit into single digits by halftime, 44-35.

In the second half, the Grizzlies got consecutive layups from sophomore Aaron Mann (Indianapolis, Ind./Howe) to trail 44-39. Mann scored a game-high 23 points.

Bluffton extended the lead to double figures, 52-41, after two free throws by Recker at the 15:34 mark. The visitors cut the margin to eight points on six different occasions, but could not get any closer the rest of the way.

Sophomore Robbie Prather (Franklin, Ind./Roncalli) added 13 points and made three three-point field goals for the Grizzlies. The contest ended a three-game road swing.

Franklin returns to action on Wednesday, February 11, at 7:30 p.m. when it hosts Transylvania University from the Spurlock Center. Live statistics and video of the game will be available. In-game updates will also be available on Twitter (@FCAthletics) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinCollegeAthletics).