Jackets Surge Past Ohio Wesleyan to Move to 4-0

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College used a 15-2 spurt late in the second half to turn a 60-54 deficit into a 69-62 lead with 2:38 left in the game and held on for a thrilling, 74-71, win to improve to 4-0 for the first time since opening the 1973-1974 campaign with seven-straight victories. 

DC hung tough throughout the night despite struggling to find its range from beyond the arc. The Jackets hit just three-of-13 attempts from long distance but overcame the poor outside shooting by continually attacking the rim against the larger Bishop squad. The strategy worked, as Defiance scored 48 points in the paint and shot 58.7 percent from two-point territory. 

Nick Sales led the way in the post, as the senior led all scorers with 22 points and swiped seven of DC's 14 steals on the night. The 22 points moved Sales to 994 for his career and put him on the brink of becoming the 43rd member of DC's 1,000-point club and the third player to do so in the last three seasons. 

Anthony Brown and Kyle Tietje joined Sales in the assault on the basket, as Brown ended with 18 points and Tietje recorded his first collegiate double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Brandon Campbell joined Tietje in providing a spark off the bench, as the freshman stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals in 17 minutes of action. 

Despite the strong performances up and down the DC roster, the Jackets found themselves in a 60-54 deficit with 7:13 remaining in the contest, as Ohio Wesleyan used five-straight buckets in the paint to temporarily pull away. 

Sales would lead the Jackets back however, hitting a pair of free throws to stem the tide and proceeding to score a hoop between a pair of Kyle Tietje buckets to fuel an 8-0 rally that put DC in front at 62-60. 

Defiance kept the pressure on, as a Brown jumper followed by a quick trifecta from Heath Armstrong pushed the DC lead to 67-62. Sales then connected on two more free throws to cap a 15-2 surge and give the Purple and Gold a 69-62 lead with 2:38 to play. 

The Bishops refused to go away however, capitalizing on two DC miscues and a pair of missed free throws to claw back even at 71-71 with 19 seconds left on the clock. OWU then took another steal with 12 seconds to go, only to see Campbell rip the ball back and finish at the other end for a 73-71 DC lead with just three ticks remaining. A Campbell free throw would extend the lead to three and Wesleyan's last second three was wide left to seal the 74-71 Defiance victory. 

The Yellow Jackets (4-0) will take a break for the Thanksgiving Holiday, before opening their Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule on December 2 at Anderson (2-0). Tip is set for 7:30 pm.