Yellow Jackets earn season sweep with 76-58 win over Transy

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Defiance College Yellow Jackets picked up their first win at Transylvania and earned their first sweep of the Pioneers in six seasons with a 76-58 victory Saturday afternoon.

The victory for Defiance (18-5, 13-3 HCAC) snapped a five-game losing skid at the Beck Center. It was the first time in head coach Kyle Brumett's six-year tenure that the Yellow Jackets also swept Transylvania (9-14, 7-9 HCAC) in the regular season. The last time the Yellow Jackets had completed either of the tasks came in the 2007-08 season.

The Yellow Jackets raced out to a lead in the first half. After Transylvania opened up the game with a two-point shot, the Yellow Jackets went on a 15-2 run to pull ahead by 11.

Mason Roth and Bernard Edwards hit threes during the run while Travis Schomaeker, Ryan Hicks and Kent Tietje each chipped in with jumpers and lay ups to fuel the run.

After the teams traded a few baskets, Defiance went on another mini run from behind the arc as Roth, Edwards, and Schomaeker all connected from three-point range in an 11-0 run that put the Yellow Jackets up 28-10.

From that point, Transylvania reeled back in the Yellow Jackets with an 18-7 run over the final 6:22 to pull DC's lead back to 35-28 at the half.

To start the second half, the Yellow Jackets slowly and methodically pulled away from Transylvania with a 25-8 run over the first 10 minutes, giving DC a 60-36 lead.

Ryan Hicks was the go-to-guy for the Jackets early in the second half, scoring 11 of his eventual 21 points during that stretch. Hicks led all players in scoring in the game and also added four rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Edwards had five points during the first 10 minutes of the second half, adding to his 15 points for the game. In total, four Yellow Jackets finished in double figures.

Roth and Schomaeker scored 14 and 11, respectively, for Defiance in the game and each of them also added two assists.

The Yellow Jackets shot the ball well in the game connecting on 29-of-62 attempts (.468) and the DC defense limited Transylvania to just 20-of-51 (.392) shooting in the game.

The Yellow Jackets reeled in 25 second-chance points, large in part to DC's 16 offensive rebounds in the game. Transylvania finished with 17 defensive boards.

On the other end of the court, the Yellow Jackets out-rebounded the Pioneers with 27 defensive boards, while limiting Transy to just seven offensive rebounds and eight second-chance points.

Tietje led the way for the Jackets on the boards, bringing down a team-high eight rebounds in just 18 minutes off the bench. Edwards finished with six rebounds and Wade Wooley added five more.

The Yellow Jackets also teamed up for six blocks in the game. Edwards, Wooley, Tietje and Xavian Edwards all had a block, joining Hicks with his two.

The Yellow Jackets also shot well from the free-throw line. DC had just 12 opportunities, but made 11 of them to shoot 92 percent. Transylvania finished 14-of-20 (.700) from the free-throw line.

Defiance will now set its sights on its final two games of the season. The Yellow Jackets will host Manchester Wednesday, before hosting Franklin Saturday in the season finale.