Jackets close regular season with loss at Transylvania

LEXINGTON, Ky.—The Defiance College Yellow Jackets fell in their regular-season finale at Transylvania University, 53-85.

Anthony Pettaway led the way for the Defiance with 11 points and five rebounds, while Curt Croy added eight. TU’s Marc Bain led all scorers with 15 points, including five triples. Poor Jacket ball-handling accounted for 22 turnovers leading to a 60-50 shot advantage for the hosts.

Transy outscored the Jackets 45-29 in the second half and capitalized on a 29-18 advantage in bench scoring. The hosts also hit 21-of-24 foul shots.

Defiance trailed at the half, 29-37, after leading for much of the first period. The Jackets took a six-point lead after a Pettaway jumper capped a 6-0 DC run at the 9:18 mark. Transy, however, closed the first half with a 16-2 run in the final seven minutes that put the visitors behind the eight-ball going into the second half.

Turnovers told the story of the Jackets’ deficit, committing 13 first-half giveaways to TU’s three. Yet, Defiance remained close due to cold 1-of-10 shooting by the Pioneers from behind the arc while hitting 4-of-8 of their own long range attempts in the opening half.

The Jackets (9-15, 2-12 HCAC) will travel back to Transylvania on Tuesday for the first round of the Heartland Conference Tournament, tipping off at 7:30 p.m.