Slow Start Dooms Yellow Jackets Against Wittenberg

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Yellow Jackets' women's basketball team's six-game winning streak came to an end on Friday afternoon on the opening day of the Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic. Defiance's 15-point first half derailed the Jackets' hopes of extending the streak to seven games, as the Purple and Gold lost to the tournament host, Wittenberg, by a score of 62-44.

The game began with both teams trying to get into a rhythm after over a week long break, as DC had a one-point lead at 7-6 after a Megan Zachrich jumper five minutes into the contest. After Wittenberg went up by three at 13-10, the Jackets quickly responded with five straight points of their own with eight minutes remaining in the opening stanza.

Then Defiance went ice-cold from the field. In the remaining eight minutes of the half the Purple and Gold were unable to put together any type of offensive flow and did not convert a field goal while turning the ball over eight times during the stretch. The Tigers capitalized on the Jackets' inability to score and closed the half on a 16-0 run to go into the break with a 29-15 lead.

The 15 points is the lowest halftime total for the Jackets this season. Free throw shooting and turnovers told the story of the first half, as Defiance was 0-2 from the line and recorded 18 turnovers while Wittenberg went 11-16 from the charity stripe and only gave the ball away eight times.

Unfortunately for DC, the second half began much like the first ended. Wittenberg broke the game open early in the final period by scoring 17 of the first19 points of the half to grab a commanding 46-17 lead that it would never relinquish. The Tigers lead would not fall below 17 the remainder of the contest, as Wittenberg won by a final of 62-44.

For the first time all season, no member of Defiance recorded double figures in scoring, as Kim Bingley led the team in points with nine and rebounding with eight boards.

With the loss, DC's season record drops to 6-4. The Jackets are back in action Saturday, December 29 for the consolation matchup against Albion at 12:00 p.m.