Late Comeback Falls Short as DC Falls 77-65 to Rose-Hulman

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Defiance College men's basketball team traveled to Terre Haute, Indiana this afternoon for a HCAC competition with Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, finishing in a 77-65 loss. This puts the Yellow Jackets at 2-4 on the season, 1-1 in conference action.

Defiance had the hot hand at the start of the game, downing two quick threes from Allante Wheeler and Dakota Barkley to take the 6-2 advantage. But Rose-Hulman battled back, capitalizing on DC turnovers to tie the game at 6-6 apiece.

The two teams remained neck in neck the majority of the first half, tying again at 12-12 in the twelfth minute and 25-25 with 5:21 to go. The Fightin' Engineers were able to pull away with a pair of layups to go into the locker room holding a six-point lead over the Yellow Jackets.  

The second half saw a ten-point deficit for the Yellow Jackets, falling behind 45-35 early. Wheeler and Barkley combined for another pair of treys in the thirteenth minute, to ignite a DC comeback. DC's Kiewuan Graham nailed a three to pull them to 52-51. The Fightin' Engineers would go on a 7-0 run followed by a second run of 15-5 to finish the game 77-65.

Graham finished with a team best 19 points, going 6-14 from the floor. Kinnie added 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Wheeler chipped in 12 points of his own. The Yellow Jackets shot 25-for-59 (42.4%) from the field and 7-of-25 (28%) from behind the arc.

Defiance returns to the hardwood next Saturday for a 4:00 PM conference contest with Franklin College at the Weaner Center.