Jackets Set to Defend HCAC Top Spot Against Bluffton

DEFIANCE, Ohio – When Defiance and Bluffton take the Weaner Community Center court on Wednesday night at 7:30 pm, it will mark the 180th installment in the historic rivalry between the two programs. Each one of those meetings has had its own twist, and this should be no different.

Defiance charged through the first half of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule en route to claiming first place in the league with an 8-1 record. Bluffton also got off to a fast start, but injuries have taken a toll as the Beavers have slipped to 5-4 in the HCAC.

That sets the stage for yet another clash between the two programs, as the Jackets hope to post their first season sweep over Bluffton since the 2000-2001 campaign and get one step closer to DC’s first league championship since that very same season.

Bluffton will enter Wednesday’s action needing a victory to snap a two-game skid and right its ship in HCAC play. The Beavers have not lost three-straight games since dropping four in a row from Jan. 28 – Feb. 8 of 2006.

Defiance holds a commanding 160-59 lead in the all-time series against Bluffton, with the 160th victory coming via an 86-70 win at Founders Hall back on Dec. 5. C.J. Johnson opened the game with nine of his game-high 30 points to give DC a 9-0 lead. The Jackets never looked back, en route to handing the Beavers their first home loss in nearly two seasons.

Despite the lopsided series record, the rivalry has been much more tightly contested in recent years. DC and Bluffton have nearly split the last nine meetings during the Jon Miller era, with BU holding a slight 5-4 edge. The home team has won seven of those nine meetings, with the road squad coming away victorious in each of the last two.

Defiance’s SWARM is sponsoring a ‘Black Out’ for the game Wednesday night. All fans are encouraged to wear a black shirt to the game. Any SWARM member in attendance with their black SWARM shirt will receive a ticket good for one free popcorn from the concession stand.