MBB Preview: Jackets look to bust slump against MSJ
Digital Program | Live Stream | Live Stats
DEFIANCE, Ohio – Standing 5-12 overall, winless in conference play and riding a seven-game losing streak, the men's basketball team at Defiance College begins a three-game homestand on Thursday night against Mount St. Joseph.
DC's last victory was over a month ago on December 21 at Immaculata, but the Lions are vulnerable after back-to-back losses of their own. MSJ comes to Defiance on Thursday night with a 6-11 record and a 5-5 mark in the HCAC. Hopes of reaching the HCAC Tournament as one of the top six teams in the league hinges on this game for both teams as the Lions currently stand seventh and the Yellow Jackets needing to make up ground in a hurry over the next month.
Defiance was defeated at Franklin on Saturday, 67-40, while shooting a season-low 27.9 percent. Mount St. Joseph lost on a late layup at home against Anderson on Saturday during a 25-point performance by Luke Collinsworth.
The two teams played on New Year's Eve in Cincinnati and DC posted a season-low 34 points after posting just 11 second-half points despite trailing by three at the half. Thursday's contest is the 46th meeting between the schools with Defiance narrowly leading the all-time series, 23-22.
Defiance's scoring average has dipped to under 70 points per game while being held to 59.5 points per contest over their last seven games. MSJ is the second-lowest scoring team in the HCAC by posting 63.3 points per game but also boasts the third-best defense by allowing 64.6 per game. Defiance's 78.2 points per game allowed are the most in the conference.
DC senior Marell Jordan is the leading scorer in the HCAC at 19.5 points per game and he enters Thursday's game 58 points shy of 1,500 career points. He would be just the 10th player in Jackets history to hit the threshold and only the fifth in the program's time at the NCAA level to do so. With three straight home games for the Yellow Jackets, Jordan is likely to hit the milestone on DC's home floor.
MSJ is led by 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Luke Collinsworth with 14.1 points per contest to go with 4.7 rebounds per game. Dayne Gardner leads the program in rebounding with 5.4 per night.
-JACKETS-