Defiance Downs Rival Bluffton

DEFIANCE, OHIO   --  In front of a packed Karl H. Weaner Center crowd, senior forward Bernard Edwards (Detroit, Mich./Warren Cousino) scored a game-high 31 points to help lead the Defiance College men's basketball team past rival Bluffton University, 73-51, in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game.

Edwards surpassed the 30-point plateau for the third time this season and second time in the last four games.  He shot 11-of-19 from the field (57.9 percent), including eight-of-nine in the first half, and had a total of five three pointers.  He also grabbed six rebounds and had three assists.  Senior guard Mason Roth (McComb) also had a strong game both offensively and on defense with 18 points to go along with four steals.

Looking to rebound from a loss against Bluffton (8-10, 4-7 HCAC) earlier in the season, Defiance (13-5, 8-3 HCAC) jumped out early outscoring the Beavers, 13-4, in the first 3:19 of the game.  DC went up by double digits for the frst time at the 13:18 mark on a triple by Edwards that gave the Yellow Jackets an 11-point advantage, 20-9.  Following a bucket and a free-throw by Bluffton to cut the deficit to eight points, DC answered with a 13-2 scoring run to take a commanding 19-point lead, 35-16, with just under four minutes to go before halftime.  The Jackets extended their lead to as many as 22 points, 42-20, just before the end of the half on a three-point play by Edwards with 1:08 remaining.  Bluffton scored the final five points of the period, but Defiance still had a sizeable lead of 17 points, 42-25, at the break.

Bluffton narrowed the gap to 14 points early in the second half, but a another triple by Edwards sparked an 8-2 run that put the Jackets back up by 20 points, 58-38, with 11:52 left in the game.  DC maintained its 20-point advantage for the majority of the remainder of the half and posted its largest lead of the game of 24 points, 73-49, with 1:55 on the clock on a jumper by sophomore guard Michael Parker (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North).  The Beavers tallied the final points of the game on a layup, but the Jackets had already secured the victory and went on to post a 73-51 final.

Bluffton shot 37.3 percent (22-of-59) from the floor and was held to just 13.3 percent (two-of-15) from long range.  The Beavers had two players score in double figures led by Thanyne Recker with 19 points to go along with 12 rebounds.  Billy Taflinger rounded out the high scorers with 16 points.

Defiance will remain at home to host Rose-Hulman (Ind.) Institute of Technology on Saturday, Jan. 31.  The game will be part of a basketball doubleheader with the Yellow Jacket women's team.  The women will tip-off against Rose-Hulman at 1 p.m., followed by the men at 3 p.m.