The Anderson University men’s basketball team fell just two points short against the No. 1 team in the country, falling to Washington University 70-68 in the championship game of the AU Invitational on Saturday at O.C. Lewis Gymnasium.

The Ravens had a shot to win the game in the final seconds, but Ty Riddle’s 3-pointer rimmed out, giving the Bears the title. Washington improves to 5-0 while the Ravens dropped to 2-2 - both losses coming to Top 10 teams by two points in the same week.

Ryan Fultz led the Ravens with 14 points, two rebounds, two assists and three blocks, hitting 7-of-15 shots from the field. He was named to the All-Tournament team as well as teammate Rodney Holliday.

Holliday finished with 12 points and five rebounds, hitting 4-of-9 field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers. His final 3-pointer cut the Washington lead to 69-68 with 40 seconds left in the game.

Andrew Jones was also in double figures with 13 points and six rebounds and Brock Morrison added 11 points and three rebounds off the bench. Riddle led the Ravens with four assists and Gabe Miller chipped in with eight points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

AU shot 39 percent from the field, but made only 5-of-24 shots from 3-point range. Washington finished at 48 percent shooting, including 7-of-20 from behind the arc. Both teams made 15 free throws with Washington attempting just one more from the line (18-17).

The Bears had a 37-29 advantage on the boards, but AU had the slight edge on the offensive glass 13-12. Washington had the edge in assists (18-14), but AU had the advantage in turnovers (7-17), blocks (4-1) and steals (7-3).

AU hosts Mt. St. Joseph on Wednesday in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener. The game will be carried live on WQME 98.7 FM and the internet broadcast at 7:30 p.m.

The Anderson University women’s basketball team lost to Trine University 73-62 in overtime on Saturday night at O.C. Lewis Gymnasium.

Mel Hawthorne led the Ravens with 20 points, 10 rebounds and two assists, hitting 6-of-13 shots and 7-of-10 free throws. Kayla Martin was also in double figures with 14 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks, making 7-of-14 field goals.

Mandy Seward added eight points, six rebounds, nine assists and six steals and Lauren Leisure had eight points and three steals. Ellen Thompson chipped in with six points and four rebounds.

AU shot 38 percent from the field, including 48 percent in the second half. Trine finished at 44 percent shooting, including 55 percent in the second half and overtime when it outscored AU 54-35.

Trine had a 41-40 advantage on the boards, but the Ravens had a 14-10 edge on the offensive glass. AU had the advantage in assists (14-13), turnovers (13-15), blocks (3-2) and steals (12-6).

AU (1-3) travels to Mt. St. Joseph on Wednesday for the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener at 7:30 p.m.

The Anderson University men’s basketball team defeated Miami-Middletown 92-88 on Friday night at O.C. Lewis Gymnasium in the second game of the AU Invitational.

The victory advances the Ravens (2-1) into the championship game against No. 1 ranked Washington University (Mo.) on Saturday. The game will be carried live on WQME 98.7 FM and the internet broadcast at 3 p.m. The Bears (4-0) defeated Aurora 97-89 in overtime in the first game on Friday night.

Against Miami, Ty Riddle led the Ravens with 16 points, two rebounds and two assists off the bench, hitting 6-of-11 field goals, including three 3-pointers.

Ryan Fultz had 15 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals, making 5-of-9 field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers. Andrew Jones also had 15 points to go with six rebounds in just 18 minutes, hitting 6-of-11 field goals.

Rodney Holliday added 14 points, four rebounds and three steals, making 5-of-6 field goals, including two 3-pointers and Gabe Miller was in double figures with 12 points, three rebounds and a team-high seven assists. Mike Russell chipped in with nine points and six assists.

Anderson shot 54 percent from the field, including 76 percent in the second half. Miami was also at 54 percent shooting, including 66 percent in the second half, where it outscored the hosts 53-51. AU made 10-of-23 shots from 3-point range while Miami made 8-of-17 from behind the arc.

AU had a 34-33 advantage on the boards and both teams had 19 assists. The ThunderHawks had the edge in offensive rebounds (12-11), turnovers (15-17) and steals (11-8).

The Ravens led 41-35 at the half and pushed the lead to as many as 14 points in the second half at 85-71 with four minutes left in the game on Holliday’s layup. However, that would be the final field goal AU would attempt in the game.

Miami went on a 17-2 run over the next three minutes, including an 11-0 run to take its first lead of the half at 88-87 with a minute left. AU had five straight turnovers in the run. Russell’s free throw with 58 seconds left tied the score and Miller’s one-pointer gave the Ravens the lead for good at 89-88.

Russell added another free throw with 18 seconds left and after a missed 3-pointer by Miami, Holliday sealed the victory with a pair of free throws.

There have been better times to look for a job, but that doesn’t have spring graduates abandoning their career ambitions.

They’re just learning to adapt.

Kelly Kaiser and other seniors planning to graduate in May with business degrees from Anderson University said the ongoing financial meltdown, the one that’s sunk blue chip stocks and shuttered major banks, means they have to be smart and a bit more open-minded about their job search.

The Anderson University men’s basketball team nearly knocked off the No. 7 team in the country on Tuesday night at O.C. Lewis Gymnasium, falling to Wisconsin-Platteville 66-64.

Ty Riddle led the Ravens with 16 points, three rebounds and two steals, hitting 5-of-8 shots from 3-point range. Ryan Fultz also had 16 points, including 7-of-9 from the free throw line.

Rodney Holliday was also in double figures with 13 points, five rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Mike Russell added eight points and three assists.

AU shot 48 percent from the field in the first half and led 37-27. However, Platteville shot 61 percent in the second half compared to only 26 percent for AU as they outscored the hosts 39-27.

Gabe Miller’s two free throws with two minutes left gave the Ravens a 64-62 lead, but a dunk tied the game with 45 seconds left. Nick Allen’s layup with seven seconds left was the winning basket. Holliday’s 3-pointer at the buzzer hit the rim and bounced away.

Platteville had a 38-20 advantage on the boards, including 14-8 on the offensive glass. The Pioneers had a 17-12 edge in assists, but the Ravens had the advantage in turnovers (10-21) and steals (8-4).

AU (1-1) hosts Miami-Middletown on Friday in the second game of the Anderson Invitational at O.C. Lewis Gymnasium. The game will be carried live on WQME 98.7 FM at 8 p.m.

The Anderson University women’s basketball team lost at No. 10 DePauw University 80-72 on Tuesday night at Neal Fieldhouse in Greencastle.

Mel Hawthorne led the Ravens with 27 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and two steals, hitting 10-of-15 shots from the field, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range.

Lauren Leisure had a career-high 16 points, hitting 6-of-9 field goals and 4-of-5 from behind the arc. Ellen Thompson added 10 points and three rebounds off the bench. Mandy Seward chipped in with a team-high six assists.

DePauw shot 49 percent from the field, including 56 percent in the second half. AU finished at 46 percent shooting, including 8-of-12 from 3-point range. The Tigers had a 39-28 advantage on the boards, including 15-9 on the offensive end.

AU (1-2) hosts Trine on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Anderson University freshman Sarah Boesing, recently received the Bell Award from WLKY (Channel 32, CBS), for her work with Break the Grey, a ministry that encourages families facing childhood cancer and other life-altering illnesses. Break the Grey was developed in 2005 by Boesing, a nursing major and a native of New Albany, Indiana, when she was 15.

The Bell Awards are given by the “Spirit of Louisville Foundation” through WLKY to those who give back to the community through volunteering and service. Boesing’s positive impact to the area caught the attention of the foundation that then presented her with the award at their annual ceremony.

“I don’t think I deserved to win the Bell Award,” said Boesing. “It’s pretty prestigious and in my mind what I do isn’t worth something that great. Break the Grey is a passion for me and I don’t do it to just get awards.”

During her time with Break the Grey, Boesing’s activities have included raising money for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, mailing “care packages” to emotionally distraught families, throwing “no-more-chemo” celebrations, and fundraising for bone marrow transplants just to name a few.

Boesing was born with a terminal kidney disease and spent significant time at a children’s hospital in her hometown at an early age. These experiences gave her a chance to meet and interact with many children and families facing childhood cancer. After a kidney transplant in August 2001, she felt God calling her back to the hospital where she grew up.

“The award is designed to honor local citizens that personify the ‘Spirit of Louisville,’” stated Debbie Roberson, Bell Awards Program Director. “Sarah let her compassion inspire her to take negative and turn it into positive by transforming her adversity into strength. We are so pleased to see Break the Grey growing into other communities.”

Break the Grey strives to share love and hope by serving, supporting, and encouraging families who are patients of the childhood cancer units at Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky and Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. The name is derived from the winter months during which parties for these families are regularly conducted. During its history, Break the Grey has ministered to over 100 families in four different states.

—Erin Helvering is a student worker on campus in the University Communications office. She is a freshman communications major from Anderson, Ind.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,750 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

The Anderson University women’s basketball team won its first game of the season on Saturday in the AU Tip-Off Tournament, defeating Ohio Wesleyan 69-62 at O.C. Lewis Gymnasium.

Kayla Martin led the Ravens with 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks, hitting 8-of-17 shots from the field and both free throws.

All-Tournament selection Mel Hawthorne had 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. The junior finished with 22 points on Friday to lead the Ravens.

Tiffany Bowsher was also in double figures with 10 points and nine rebounds. Mandy Seward added six points, five rebounds and five assists and Ellen Thompson chipped in with nine points and three rebounds off the bench. Lauren Leisure added seven points, two assists and two steals.

AU shot 44 percent from the field, including 57 percent in the second half when it outscored the Bishops 43-35. Ohio Wesleyan shot only 35 percent, including 33 percent in the first half.

The Ravens held a 41-32 advantage on the boards, including 15-11 on the offensive glass. AU also had a 14-10 edge in assists, 8-4 lead in steals and a 3-0 advantage in blocks.

Early in the game, the Ravens led 6-4, but Ohio Wesleyan went on a 12-0 run to take its biggest lead of the game at 18-6 with 12 minutes left in the first half. However, AU went on its own 13-0 run to reclaim the lead at 19-18 with seven minutes left in the half.

Ohio Wesleyan led 27-26 at the half and still led by three points at 43-40 with 13 minutes left in the game. AU went on a 7-0 run to lead by four, but the Bishops rallied to tie the game at 47 for the eighth and final time. Bowsher’s two free throws gave the Ravens the lead for good at 49-47 with nine minutes left in the game.

AU (1-1) travels to DePauw on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

The Anderson University women’s basketball team opened the 2008-09 season with a 70-64 loss to Robert Morris in the AU Tip-Off Classic on Friday night at O.C. Lewis Gymnasium.

Mel Hawthorne led the Ravens with 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 40 minutes. The junior made 9-of-19 shots from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Ellen Thompson was also in double figures with 16 points, seven rebounds and two steals off the bench. The sophomore made 5-of-13 shots and 6-of-7 from the free throw line.

Lauren Leisure had nine points and Mandy Seward added seven points, six assists and three steals.

Robert Morris shot 49 percent from the field, including 50 percent in the first half when it led 39-34. AU finished the game at 35 percent shooting, including only 33 percent in the second half.

Both teams finished with 40 rebounds, but the Ravens had a 19-12 edge on the offensive glass. The Eagles had a 16-12 edge in assists, a 10-6 advantage in steals and a 6-3 margin in blocked shots. The Ravens had the advantage in turnovers 15-18.

AU plays Ohio Wesleyan in the consolation game on Saturday in O.C. Lewis Gymnasium. The game will be carried live on the internet broadcast at 2 p.m. Robert Morris will play St. Mary’s in the championship game.

Harvey Bayliss and Adam Menchinger, art students at Anderson University, will display their work at the senior art show, “Calliope,” in the Wilson Galleries on the AU campus. The show is open Nov. 22 - Dec. 19 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Bayliss and Menchinger will make senior presentations on Dec. 2 from 6-9 p.m. in Wilson Gallery.

“Calliope” is designed to provide a very festive yet intimate atmosphere where the viewer is encouraged to sit on Menchinger’s furniture, and have a close experience with Bayliss’ small works on paper.