Men's Hoops Dominates Bluffton to Capture HCAC Title

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  Four players scored in double figures led by senior forward Bernard Edwards' (Detroit, Mich./Warren Cousino) 25 points as the Defiance College men's basketball team captured its third Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Championship with a 78-55 win against Bluffton University at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

With the win, the Yellow Jackets will earn the HCAC automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA Division III National Tournament.  DC last won the conference tournament title in 2010.  

Edwards' 25 points was a game-high and shot 10-of-20 (50.0 percent) from the field, including three-of-eight from three-point range.  He also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.  The duo of sophomore guard Michael Parker (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) and senior guard Drew Frizell (Smithville) were second with 12 points each and junior forward Wade Wooley (Wauseon) rounded out the high scorers with 10 points to go along with eight boards.

Defiance (21-6) took control of the game in the first half with an 8-0 scoring run, with six of the eight points coming from Edwards, that resulted in a 14-6 lead at the 16:17 minute mark.  The Yellow Jackets never trailed the rest of the way despite Bluffton (16-12) battling back to within two points, 16-14, with 13:35 left in the period.  Late in the half, DC went on another run, this time a 14-2 run that ended the half and put the Jackets up by a commanding 45-27 margin at the intermission.

DC began the second half with a layup by Edwards to record its first 20-point lead of the game, 47-27.  The Yellow Jackets continued to pull away and recorded their largest margin of the game of 28 points, 70-42, with 7:47 remaining in the game following a three-pointer by Frizell.  The Beavers scored the final three points of the game, but Defiance already had the game well in hand and cruised to the 78-55 final.

Bluffton shot 39.6 percent (21-of-53) from the floor and 25.0 percent (four-of-16) from behind the arc.  The Beavers had one players score in double figures in Thayne Recker with 22 points.  

Following the conclusion of the tournament, Edwards was named the tournament Most Valuable Player, while senior guard Travis Schomaeker (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) and Wooley were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Defiance will wait to find out who its first-round opponent will be in the NCAA Tournament which begins on Thursday, Mar. 5.  The start time and location of hte game is also TBA.