Yellow Jackets Use Big Third Quarter to Knock Off Lions

CINCINNATI, OHIO -- The Defiance College Yellow Jackets outscored Mount St. Joseph University, 22-8, in the third quarter en route to a 70-53 win against the Lions in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference contest in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Defiance (4-4, 2-2 HCAC) was led by senior Kelsey Tietje (Deshler/Patrick Henry), who scored 22 points and grabbed 19 boards for her eighth double-double to open the season. Tietje also shot nine-of-15 (60 percent) from the floor and four-of-seven (57.1 percent) from the charity stripe.

The Yellow Jackets also had two guards in double figures, led by junior Mekai White (Cincinnati/Winton Woods) who added a 13-point, nine-rebound effort off the bench. Senior Ashley Williams (Leipsic/Pandora-Gilboa) finished the contest with 12 points on four-of-seven (57.1 percent) shooting from beyond the arc on the afternoon.

The Yellow Jackets dominated the battle of the boards, earning a 51-26 edge, but committed 23 turnovers, compared to just 10 for the Lions. Defiance finished the contest shooting 25-of-57 (43.9 percent) overall, compared to just 18-of-58 (31 percent) for the Lions. DC also added seven-of-22 (31.8 percent) from deep, as MSJ shot just one-for-eight (12.5 percent). 

After a game-opening triple from Williams put the Yellow Jackets ahead, 3-0, the home team was able to take control of the opening stanza, outscoring DC by five points to finish out the quarter and take a 14-12 lead after the first 10 minutes.

Tietje began the second quarter with four straight points to put Defiance back in front, 16-14. MSJ then tied the score before a three from White put DC back ahead. Seven straight MSJ points gave the Lions a 23-19 lead with 2:55 to play in the half, en route to a five-point margin. White then added a three and Williams hit on back-to-back triples to wrap up a 9-0 spurt to end the first half, giving Defiance a 29-25 lead entering the locker room.

The third quarter was all Yellow Jackets, as DC began the third period on a red-hot 19-1 run. The run began with seven straight DC points on a layup by Tietje, a triple from Williams, and a tip-in by senior Keri Conine (Ottawa/Pandora-Gilboa). After a free-throw make from MSJ, Defiance added 12 consecutive points to give Defiance a 48-26 lead with 2:41 to play, en route to a 52-31 advantage after three quarters.

DC started the final quarter with two more buckets from Tietje, mixed with an MSJ free-throw, to give Defiance a 56-32 lead in the opening minute. The Lions cut the lead back to 21 points with 5:45 to play, before a three from White and a jumper by Conine gave DC their largest lead of the afternoon at 66-40, as DC cruised their way to a 70-53 victory.

Defiance gets right back to action on Sunday, Dec. 18 as the Trine  (Ind.) University Thunder makes the trip to the Karl H. Weaner Center to take on the Yellow Jackets. The game is set to tip at 6 p.m.