DC Host Hubbard Co./PRO REHAB Tourney

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College will host its annual Hubbard Co./PRO REHAB Women’s Collegiate Basketball Tournament on December 14-15. Tickets will be available at the door, including tournament passes that grant individuals entry into all tournament games throughout the weekend. Single day passes will be $6 for adults and $4 for students, while tournament passes will be $8 for adults and $5 for students.

The night cap on Friday will see the Marygrove College Mustangs (3-8) take on the Defiance College Yellow Jackets (2-3). Tip-off for this game is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.

Marygrove, coming off a 16-16 season last year, is led by senior guard Karmen Byrd. The Detroit, Mich. native enters this weekend averaging a team-high 15 points per contest. Frosh Nicole Gaillaird (7.0 rpg) and Jacquis Bullock (11.1 ppg) will also contribute for coach Antonio Hitchcock.

Defiance will be looking for its third consecutive Hubbard Co./PRO REHAB tournament title this weekend. The Jackets, under the direction of first-year head coach Dic Doumanian, have played their best basketball of the season at the Karl H. Weaner Center, going 2-1 at home with that only loss coming against No. 1 Hope College. Defiance guards Sarah Bird and Holly Stein have provided a nice one-two scoring punch from the outside, pouring in a combined 26 points per game. Sophomores Amber Bailey and Mandy White give the Jackets a formidable inside presence, while tallying a collective 38 points, 33 rebounds and ten blocks over DC’s last two games.

The opening game of the tournament will feature the Marian College Panthers (3-4) facing off against the Buffaloes of Milligan College (4-8) at 6:00 p.m. on Friday evening.

The Panthers are led by forward combo of Coleen Moody and Jaime Toellner. Moody leads the team in scoring and rebounding, putting 15.9 points and pulling down 7.6 boards a night. Toellner is the only other Lady Panther averaging double-figures in scoring, as the sophomore from Mayville, Wisc. is tallying 11.3 points to go along with her five rebounds per game. Each has the ability to stretch out the defense, as the two have combined to knock down 23 shots from beyond the arc in the team’s first seven games.

Milligan has done damage on the blocks this season as posts Rikki Baughman and Heather Mandela are each having a great year for head coach Rich Aubrey. Baughman, a first team All-AAC selection a year ago, leads the Buffaloes averaging 18.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Mandela, a 6-0 freshman, has chipped in with 14.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest.

The winners of both games will face off in the championship game on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. The consolation game, featuring the losers of Friday night’s games, will be played prior to the championship game at 1:00 p.m.