Jackets Defeat Rose-Hulman in Defensive Battle

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Defiance built up 19-point first half lead, before holding on for a 50-44 victory over Rose-Hulman on Wednesday, January 7. The Jackets scored 23 points off turnovers and recorded 18 second-chance points in the game, improving to 6-7 overall and 2-3 in HCAC play.

The Lady Engineers looked poised to run away with the game in the opening five minutes, scoring the first seven points of the night. However, Defiance took over from there, using a balanced scoring attack to outscore Rose-Hulman 30-4 over the next 11 minutes to grab its largest lead of the contest, 30-11. Defiance would go into the break with a 15-point advantage, its largest halftime lead of the season.

Rose-Hulman was not ready to fold on its home court, scoring the first 12 points of the final stanza to draw within three, 30-27. Katie McNamara stopped the bleeding with a jumper at the 13:17 mark, as the Jackets went nearly 11 minutes without finding the basket. Courtney Schmersal scored a minute later to push DC's lead to seven, before an 11-4 run gave the Engineers their first lead since the opening period.

Defiance closed the game with a 13-3 spurt to take home the victory, holding Rose-Hulman to just one field goal in the final five minutes. The Jackets gave up a season-low 44 points in the contest, holding the Engineers to just 32.1 percent shooting from the field and 28.6 percent shooting from downtown. DC was able to force 27 turnovers on the night, the ninth time this season their opponents have committed over 20 mishaps.

Defiance won despite scoring a season-low 50 points, knocking down just 30 percent of its shots from the field and 46.7 of its attempts at the charity stripe. Holly Stein and Katie Carunchia led the Jackets with eight points apiece, as 11 different players found the scoring column for DC. Carunchia and Katie McNamara recorded four steals each to help Defiance tally 19 thefts on the night.

Defiance returns to action this Saturday, January 10, when it travels to Anderson University for a HCAC doubleheader. The women are set to tip-off at 1:00 p.m. with the men slated to begin at 3:00 p.m.