Jackets Stay Perfect in HCAC with 70-54 Victory at Hanover

HANOVER, Ind. – Defiance moved to 3-0 in the HCAC, limiting Hanover College to just 33 percent shooting in the second half on its way to a 70-54 victory on Saturday, December 8.

The Jackets set the tone early as Heath Armstrong’s trey gave DC a 14-6 lead just under six minutes into the game. An 8-2 run drew the Panthers within two, 16-14, but Defiance would answer in a game that it never trailed. A minute later Anthony Pettaway pushed DC’s lead back to six, 20-14, with two of his ten first half points.

After Hanover pulled close once again, the Jackets responded with a 14-4 run to regain control of the game. Another bucket by Pettaway and a Bryan Post free throw would put DC in front 37-31 at the break.

The second half was all Defiance as the Jackets would not see their lead slip below five points for the remainder of the game.

DC guards C.J. Johnson and Nate Helton combined for 23 second half points, matching Hanover’s team output for the period to help the Jackets bring home the win.

Helton had the best game of his young collegiate career, leading all scorers with a career-high 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Johnson, who entered today’s game as the HCAC’s leading scorer, reached double-figures for the eighth time this season dropping in 13 points despite battling foul trouble throughout the game.

Pettaway, the other Jacket to reach double figures in scoring, recorded up his second consecutive double-double picking up 16 points to go along with his 11 boards. Nick Sales, ranked fourth in the conference in rebounding, pulled down 10 rebounds and tallied seven points, one block and two steals for the game.

The Jackets played one of their best all-around game of the season, shooting over 50 percent from the field and knocking down 80 percent of their shots from the line. DC held the Panthers to just 2-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc, while also winning the battle on the boards 30-22.

Defiance (5-3, 3-0 HCAC) returns to action on Tuesday, December 18 in the RDV Sportsplex Classic in Orlando, Fla. when it faces Wisconsin-Oshkosh at 5:00 p.m.