Quakers cruise past Yellow Jackets for first win

DEFIANCE, Ohio – A hot-shooting Earlham Quakers squad earned their first win of the season over the Defiance Yellow Jackets, 79-59, at the Weaner Center on Saturday.

Defiance's skid reached eight straight losses and moved the team's record to 1-9 while going 0-4 in the HCAC. Earlham had a 10-day layoff prior to Saturday's game and are now 1-10, 1-3 in the conference. The 20-point win by the Quakers is just the 15th win by Earlham against Defiance and is the school's largest margin of victory in the series.

TURNING POINT

The Quakers started 7-for-11 from the floor, including each of their first three attempts, and opened up a 15-3 lead before Defiance called a timeout at the 13:35 mark of the first half. Meanwhile, Defiance had just one field goal on the board, a 3-pointer from the right corner by Sherod Brooks, until the 7:45 mark of the first half. DC committed nine turnovers during the first 12 minutes of the game and missed 10 straight shots between made baskets.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Shooting and turnovers created a chasm in the contest. Earlham finished shooting 51 percent as a team while DC closed the game at 37 percent. Each team made six 3-pointers but 18 Defiance turnovers turned into 24 points for the Quakers. The Jackets won the free throw battle for the first time this season, going 15-for-21 compared to Earlham's 5-of-7, and also won the rebounding battle 36-35.

Earlham's first half lead eventually swelled to 21-5 and led by as many as 21 in the first half with the help of two players in double figures by halftime. The Quakers posted an impressive 43-point opening half with 29 combined coming from Ken Walker and Joffrey Nunnally.

Landen Swanner got Defiance straightened out on offense with three buckets on cuts to the basket leading into a 3-pointer by Devin Goodwyn to chomp into Earlham's lead, which was then 30-16. After trading quick baskets near the three-minute mark, Earlham closed the first half on an 11-4 run.

Defiance outscored the Quakers in the second half, 37-36, but not before Earlham opened up a 33-point advantage with just over six minutes left. The Yellow Jackets missed their first five attempts after halftime and were 1-for-8 before Evan Park knocked down a 3-pointer at the top of the arc.

Earlham managed just five points over the last six minutes of the game while the Jackets closed things out with 18 of the game's last 23 points. Heath Kash and Jordyn Jury each hit 3-pointers down the stretch.

BRINGING THE STING

• Landen Swanner led the Yellow Jackets with 17 points, his seventh performance in double figures.
• Jordyn Jury gave Defiance 26 minutes of hustle and closed the game with a team-best seven rebounds, a new career best. Jury also tallied up seven points.
• Heath Kash turned in the first eight points of his college career, including two makes from long range.
• Devin Goodwyn and Evan Park also added multiple made buckets, accounting for seven and six points respectively.
• Ken Walker led all scorers with 22 points for Earlham. Joffrey Nunnally finished with 19 and Milan Kennedy added 10 more.

UP NEXT

The men's basketball team continue their four-game home stint on Wednesday night by hosting Manchester. Tipoff against the Spartans is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Coach Marv Hohenberger Court within the Karl H. Weaner Center.

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