Wooley and Holmes Record Career Nights Against Kalamazoo

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  The Defiance College men's basketball team used a 48-point second half to come away with a convincing 88-70 victory against Kalamazoo (Mich.) College led by career performances by senior Wade Wooley (Wauseon) and junior Chris Holmes (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) in non-conference action at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

Wooley recorded his second double-double of the season scoring 10 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds.  Holmes scored a game-tying and career-high 19 points that included a 12-of-15 effort (80.0 percent) at the free-throw line.  

Junior Michael Parker (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) was second in scoring with 18 points and made four three-pointers.  Junior Tyler Alexander (Indianapolis, Ind./Northwest) had 16 points and junior Devin Mangas (Leipsic) added 12 points.

Both teams played a balanced first half with both squads shooting over 45.0 percent for the period.  Defiance (5-3) looked to take control early jumping out to a 10-2 lead in the early minutes.  Kalamazoo (1-5) got its offense going with an ensuing 10-2 scoring run to even the score at 12-12 at the 12:25 minute mark.

The Hornets continued their offensive run and eventually led by as many as six points in the half, 32-26, with 4:31 to go before halftime.  A layup by junior Keandre Gilmer (Toledo/Rogers) sparked a 7-2 run by the Jackets to pull to within a point, 34-33, with just under three-and-a-half minutes.  Kalamazoo extended its lead back out to four points, but DC tallied the final points of the half on a jumper by freshman Nick Mesnard (Petoskey, Mich./Petoskey) and a triple by Parker to take a 40-39 lead at the intermission.

The first points of the second half came on three free-throws by Holmes to make the score, 43-39, just under a minute into the period.  The Hornets answered with another scoring run, this time a 7-2 run, to regain the lead, 46-45 with 16:30 to go.  Defiance responded with an ensuing 11-0 run that ended in a three-pointer by Parker to give the Jackets control with a 10-point margin, 56-46.

Kalamazoo would not go quietly as the Hornets battled back to within three points near the midway point of the half, 62-59.  Leading by four points, DC put the game away with a 10-0 run with all 10 points coming from Alexander, to go up by 14 points, 77-63, with 4:09 remaining.  

The Yellow Jackets led by as many as 18 points on two occasions down the stretch following a layup by Mangas and then a pair of freebies by Homes to end the scoring and give DC the 88-70 victory.

After shooting nearly 47 percent in the first half, Kalamazoo was held to just 28.2 percent (11-of-39) in the second period, including 23.5 percent (four-of-17) from long range.  The Hornets had three players score in double figures led by Mike Oravetz with a game-tying high 19 points.  Adam Dykema had 17 points and Chase Baysdell posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.  

Defiance will next host the annual Purple & Gold Tournament on Tuesday-Wednesday, Dec. 29-30 at the Weaner Center.  The Yellow Jackets will play against Albion (Mich.) College on Tuesday with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.