Second Half Rally Lifts DC Past Transy, 80-68

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Defiance went on a 34-11 run over the last ten minutes of the game to defeat Transylvania University 80-68 on Saturday, January 12, picking up its first road win of the season.

Trailing 57-46 with 10:16 remaining in the contest, Holly Stein would score five consecutive points to jump start a 13-2 run by DC over the next two minutes. Sarah Bird capped off the run with her third trifecta of the half, knotting the game at 59-59 with 7:53 left in the contest.

Bird would knock down a jumper a minute and a half later to give the Jackets their first lead since the ten minute mark in the first half, 63-61. Defiance continued to expand its lead over the last five minutes of the game, helped in part by Transy’s woes from the free throw line.

The Pioneers were 0-for-5 from the line in the closing minutes of the game and just 3-of-8 for the half. Defiance, the HCAC’s top free-throw shooting team, was 10-of-14 from the charity stripe in the last nine minutes and 20-for-25 in the second half. The Jackets shot just 35 percent from the field for the game, but connected on clutch shots down the stretch. DC shot 52.9 percent in the last nine minutes of the game to pull out the victory.

Stein and Tasha Stucke combined to score DC’s first 11 points of the game as the Jackets stormed out to an 11-3 lead in the opening minutes of the game. Transylvania came right back, pushing its lead to as much as 14 before DC would close out the half with a 10-2 run to trail 34-29 at the break.

Bird scored 20 of her season-high 21 points in the second half, connecting on 8-of-9 of her attempts at the line. Stein reached double-figures in scoring for the seventh time this season, dropping in 21 points to go along with her five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Amber Bailey came one point and one rebound short of her fourth consecutive double-double, tallying 9 points and 9 boards on the day as well as recording three blocks. The 6-3 sophomore’s three blocks per game currently ranks 14th in the nation. Sarah Grime provided a spark off the bench with eight points and six rebounds, while Mandy White added eights points and two blocks.

Defiance (6-6, 2-3 HCAC) will look to even up its conference slate when it travels to Franklin University on Wednesday, January 16. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.