Bird's Career-High 29 Points Leads DC Past Franklin

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance picked up its eighth win of the season at the Karl H. Weaner Center with a 79-68 victory over Franklin College on Wednesday, February 20. DC improves to 4-11 in the HCAC with the victory.

Tied at 14 just over seven minutes into the contest, the Jackets opened up the game with a 14-2 run over the next three and half minutes. Sarah Bird’s three-pointer at the 9:22 mark gave DC a 12-point lead, 28-16. Tasha Stucke’s trifecta with 4:34 left in the half gave Defiance pushed the lead to 16 points, 38-22. The Grizzlies used a late spurt to cut the lead to eight, 41-33, at the break. Bird and Mandy White combined for 28 of DC’s 41 points in the half.

Franklin crawled its way back into the game over the next 16 minutes, cutting the Jacket

lead to two points, 62-60. Bird put DC on her back over the next minute and half to help the Jackets pull away. The senior guard scored seven of Defiance’s next nine points as DC grabbed a 71-63 lead with two minutes left to play. The Jackets sealed the game at the charity stripe, knocking down all six of its attempts in the final minute to close out the victory.

DC outrebounded the Grizzlies 56-44, pulling down 21 offensive boards. The Jackets were 22-of-24 from the line, while also limiting Franklin to 30.9 percent shooting and forcing 19 turnovers.

Bird scored a career-high 29 points, knocking down five treys to move past Amy Flory for fourth on the career three-point field goal list with 116 in her career. The Fayette, Ohio native has now reached double-figures in scoring in her last seven games, averaging 18.4 points per game during that span. White added 17 points and five rebounds, while Holly Stein tallied six points and ten boards and Stucke finished with nine points and six assists. Amber Bailey recorded six points and 12 rebounds to go along with her five blocks, which tied her with Sheila Retcher for most blocked shots in season with 71 on the year.

Defiance (9-14) wraps up its season on Saturday, February 23, when it hosts Rose-Hulman in a HCAC matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.