Jackets Unable to Hold Off Bluffton, Fall 80-77

BLUFFTON, Ohio – Defiance shot just 52 percent from the free throw line, falling 80-77 to rival Bluffton University on Wednesday, January 30. The Jackets fall to 2-8 in the HCAC this season after dropping their fifth consecutive contest.

DC opened up a ten-point lead midway through the first half, behind the scoring of Sarah Bird. Bird’s trifecta at the 10:27 mark broke a 15-15 tie, jumpstarting DC’s 11-1 run over the next three minutes of the first half. Amber Bailey and Mandy White would each score before Bird capped off the run with a layup to give Defiance a 26-16 advantage with 7:28 remaining. The Beavers would go on to a use a run of their own at the end of the half to go into the locker room with a 34-33 lead.

The second half proved to be an exciting one as the two teams saw 16 different lead changes in the period. The Jackets pulled out to a three-point lead early in the second half after Holly Stein connected on both of her attempts from the charity stripe to put DC up 43-40. Two baskets from Kim Miller and an Angie Lee three-pointer put the Beavers back up 47-45, before Elisa Hickman stopped the bleeding for Defiance with a trey to give DC a 48-47 advantage with 14 minutes remaining in the contest.

Bluffton responded with a 21-12 spurt over the next seven minutes, grabbing its largest lead of the game when Miller’s jumper put the Beavers up by eight, 68-60. Defiance’s inside game took control over the next minute and a half as Bailey and White combined for the Jacket’s next eight points, helping DC knot the game at 68 with 5:38 remaining.

Two possessions later, White knocked down a three-pointer to give DC a one-point advantage, 71-70. Tasha Stucke’s layup at the 2:40 mark pushed the Defiance lead to three, 75-72, however, two consecutive jumpers by Miller put Bluffton back on top 76-75. Bailey responded with two free throws to give DC a 77-76 advantage, but the Beavers would score the last four points of the game to pull out the victory.

Defiance shot 44.1 percent from the field, while also knocking down six shots from beyond the arc. The team also recorded a season-high nine blocks on the game.

White led Defiance with a game-high 23 points as four Lady Jackets reached double figures on the night. Bailey recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds to go along with her career-high eight blocked shots. Bird and Stucke were the other two Lady Jackets to reach double figures as Bird scored 11 of her 16 in the first half, while Stucke finished the game with 12 points and five assists.

Defiance (6-11) returns to action on Saturday, February 2 when it hosts HCAC foe Mount St. Joseph. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.