Late rally falls short in conference opener at MSJ

CINCINNATI, Ohio – After chasing the Mount St. Joseph Lions for most of the game, the Defiance Yellow Jackets led by one in the final minute before clutch free throw shooting stomped out a late charge in Wednesday's 70-65 loss at the Harrington Center.

In a game that was tight throughout, the Yellow Jackets and Lions exchanged the lead seven times and were tied on eight occasions. Neither team led by double figures as MSJ held the largest lead of the night by eight points. With the win, MSJ picked up their first win of the season while the Yellow Jackets lost their fourth straight in each team's first game of the HCAC schedule.

While most of the stat sheet was relatively even, Defiance allowed a season-high 32 free throw attempts by Mount St. Joseph. The Lions went 22-for-32 at the line while the Jackets made 9-of-10 attempts.

TURNING POINT

After Devin Goodwyn drilled two Defiance free throws to put the Yellow Jackets ahead with 55 seconds to go, Mount St. Joseph's all-conference center Luke Collinsworth answered on the other end by drawing a foul on a made layup to create a 3-point play with 43 seconds remaining. Goodwyn had an opportunity for a go-ahead 3-pointer but missed while Collinsworth was fouled on the rebound. Thanks to the double bonus, Collinsworth went on to make both free throws to give the Lions a two-possession cushion with 25 seconds on the clock.

HOW IT HAPPENED

For the first time this season, the Jackets made a change in the starting lineup by inserting Evan Park alongside Cole Wojciechowski, Landen Swanner, Jakob Trevino and Clay McCorkle. Defiance found Park on the first possession of the game with a short hook in front of the basket. DC started 2-for-2 from the field and at the line to lead 6-2 over the first 90 seconds of the game.

Most of the first half swung back and forth. The Lions attacked the paint early, scoring 20 of their 32 first-half points on the interior, and went on an 8-0 run through the first media timeout. Out of the break, Landen Swanner sank the first of his three first-half 3-pointers but was one of just three makes by the Yellow Jackets over an eight-minute stretch. MSJ started out 7-for-7 from the floor in the midst of a 16-7 run. 

However, the Lions did not make a field goal over the last 6:36 of the half and converted 7-of-12 free throws while the Yellow Jackets stormed back to finish the half on a run of 13-7. Swanner got the Jackets in rhythm with eight straight points, including two more triples, to help trim Mount's lead to 25-21. Defiance briefly took the lead on a transition pull-up jumper by McCorkle with 38 seconds left in the half, but MSJ's Luke Collinsworth sank a pair of freebies to keep the home squad ahead at halftime, 32-31.

The early stages of the second half saw Mount's Mathew Menninger hit a pair of meaningful 3-pointers. The first broke a 35-35 tie in nearly three minutes into the half and the second awarded the Lions their largest lead of the game, eight points at the 13:26 mark of the half. The Jackets continued to keep the Lions close as Swanner and Sherod Brooks converted back-to-back scores at the rim to climb back within four. The duo scored in tandem again a few minutes later to make the score 54-52 when Swanner hit a long trey followed by a Brooks layup off a stolen ball.

Coming out of the under-eight-minute media timeout, Swanner knotted the score at 54-54 on a layup. Mount St. Joseph committed a shot-clock violation that allowed Defiance to take the lead on their end on a lay-in by Devin Goodwyn. After MSJ answered with a score inside, Evan Park stepped back to sink a straightaway 3-pointer with 6:43 to go followed by a steal and score by Goodwyn to create a 14-2 Defiance run in 2:58.

However, The Lions recovered to gain back the lead as Collinsworth started to take over in the post. He scored the game's next eight points with two layups and four free throws to put the Lions ahead 64-61 with 3:35 left.

BRINGING THE STING

• Landen Swanner led the Jackets with 18 points on four makes from downtown. The junior wing recorded his fifth game in double-figures through the season's first six contests.
• Devin Goodwyn had a solid effort as well with 10 points, all in the second half. It was his second straight game with double digits and he led the team with five rebounds, a new career high.
• Sherod Brooks performed well off the bench for the first time this season, scoring 10 points with four rebounds. Brooks had six points in the second half during DC's late surge.
• Jeffrey Smith recorded his first points at the college level at 3:39 of the first half with a straightaway 3-pointer.
• All three of Defiance's forwards were in foul trouble while trying to slow down Collinsworth. Park fouled out while Cole Wojciechowski and Cam Martin all had four fouls by the end of the game.
• The 25 made field goals by the Yellow Jackets were a new season-best. MSJ narrowly outshot Defiance 45 percent to 40.
• Defiance's 33 rebounds were aided by 13 offensive boards, also the most in a game so far this year. The Jackets also scored a season-best 36 points in the paint.

UP NEXT

The Yellow Jackets continue their month on the road with another HCAC contest on Saturday, which will feature a men's and women's doubleheader at Transylvania. The men's game tipoff against the Pioneers at the Beck Center is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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