Roth and Edwards Combine For 56 in Win Against Anderson

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  The duo of senior guard Mason Roth (McComb) and senior forward Bernard Edwards (Detroit, Mich./Warren Cousino) combined for 56 points to lead the Defiance College men's basketball team past Anderson (Ind.) University, 101-88, to sweep the regular-season series in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

Roth equaled his career-high with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting (62.5 percent) and a perfect seven-of-seven at the free-throw line.  He also had a game-high seven assists to go along with five rebounds.  Edwards netted a game-high 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting (71.4 percent) in addition to five boards and five assists.  Also scoring in double figures was senior guard Travis Schomaeker (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) with 13 points.  In addition, junior forward Wade Wooley (Wauseon) grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

Defiance (15-5, 10-3 HCAC) never trailed in the game and recorded its first double-digit lead early in the first half at the 13:52 minute mark thanks to a three-pointer by Schomaeker that gave the Jackets a 19-7 advantage.  Anderson (10-10, 9-4 HCAC) would not go away quietly as the Ravens answered by outscoring DC, 14-4, to make it a one possession game, 23-21, with 8:34 remaining before halftime.  Defiance regained control and gradually built its lead back to double figures, 37-26, with 4:07 to go in the period following a triple by senior guard Drew Frizell (Smithville).  Anderson cut the deficit to within six points in the final minutes of the half, but the Jackets led by 10 points, 45-35, at the intermission.

In the second half, the DC lead hung around the 10-point mark for the first 10 minutes of the period.  Leading by eight points, 75-67, with 9:38 to go, the Yellow Jackets put the game away with a 14-5 scoring run to go up by 17 points, 89-72, with 5:47 remaining following a layup by Roth.  Anderson never threatened the rest of the way as DC posted its largest lead of the game on two occasions, including a 101-80 mark with just over two minutes in the game en route to an 101-88 victory.

Anderson shot 50.6 percent (33-of-65) from the field and had three players score over 20 points.  Justin Jordan led all Raven scorers with 22 points and was followed by Nathaniel Acree with 21 points.  Rounding out the high scorers was Max Mollaun with 20 points.

Defiance will next travel to Cincinnati for a HCAC showdown against Mount St. Joseph University on Saturday, Feb. 4.  The game will be part of a basketball doubleheader with the Yellow Jacket women's team.  The men will tip-off against the Lions at 1 p.m., followed by the women at 3 p.m.