DC Runs Past Quakers to Keep HCAC Tourney Hopes Alive

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College got back in the win column with a 78-50 victory against Earlham on Wednesday night inside the Karl H. Weaner Community Center. The win snapped a six-game losing streak and pushed the Jackets back to within a single game of a spot in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament field with three games to play.

DC dominated Earlham in nearly every facet of the game, holding a 48-18 lead in points inside the paint and a 22-2 cushion in fast-break tallies. The Jackets also turned up the defensive pressure on the Quakers, who entered the game leading the HCAC in turnovers, forcing EC in 23 miscues. Defiance ended with a season-high 15 steals and piled up 35 points off of turnovers.

The Jackets capitalized on the sloppy Earlham attack to build an early 14-8 edge and then scored 11-straight points to open up a 25-9 lead with 7:27 left in the half, before allowing EC to climb within five points at the break.

A 9-0 spurt by DC to open the second stanza opened up a 41-27 gap with 17:56 to go, after Earlham turned the ball over on its first four possessions out of the intermission. The Quakers would claw back to within nine, only for Defiance to rattle off a 12-2 rally that pushed the spread to 19. The Jackets never slowed from there, rolling to the 78-50 victory.

Logan Wolfrum stuffed the box score with 19 points, eight assists, four rebounds, four steals and one block to lead the way, while Anthony Brown netted 17 points. Ryan Hicks turned in 13 points and two steals and Brandon Campbell added eight points, three assists and a trio of thefts.

DC (11-11, 6-9 HCAC) will look to continue its push for the sixth and final spot in the HCAC Tournament when it travels to Mount St. Joseph (4-18, 2-13 HCAC) for a 3:00 pm tip on Saturday.