Panthers Hand Defiance Third-Straight Defeat

HANOVER, Ind. – Defiance College fell to 0-3 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference for the first time since opening league play with six-straight setbacks during the 2004-2005 season with an 82-72 loss at Hanover on Saturday. 

The Yellow Jackets shot the ball at a blistering clip, hitting 50.9 percent and placing four players in double figures. Defiance continued its struggles on the defensive end however, giving up at least 80 points for the fifth time in the last six contests.

Hanover (5-2, 2-1 HCAC) netted a season-high 82 points on 53.8-percent shooting and connected on eight-of-18 attempts from beyond the arc to out-pace the Purple and Gold in the early-season HCAC clash.

Defiance trailed throughout much of the afternoon, after the Panthers erased an early 9-3 lead by the Jackets to pull in front by a 16-11 margin on the strength of a 13-2 spurt. Both sides would trade hoops over the next several minutes, with DC taking its final lead at the 4:07 mark on a Kevin Tietje jumper.

The opening stanza would end on another rally by the Panthers however, as an 11-3 charge opened up a 39-32 spread for HC with 1:43 to go in the half. Hanover would maintain the seven-point lead in the form of a 43-36 cushion at the break.

DC trimmed the margin to four points in the opening moments of the second half, only to watch the HC lead steadily swell to double figures at 54-44 by the 16:12 mark. The Jackets would not get any closer than six the rest of the way, as Hanover held on for the 10-point triumph.

Logan Wolfrum paced the Defiance scoring attack with 19 points and six assists, while Kyle Tietje ended with 14 points, eight rebounds and three dimes. Kevin Tietje and Anthony Brown excelled off the bench, combining for 27 points.

Defiance (2-5, 0-3 HCAC) will take a break from league action to face Adrian (4-3) in another road test on Wednesday at 6:00 pm.