DC loses low-scoring conference opener at Siena Heights 

ADRIAN, Mich. - The Defiance Yellow Jackets opened their first season of competition in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference on Saturday with a 55-51 loss at Siena Heights. 

The Yellow Jackets (2-4, 0-1 WHAC) suffered their third straight loss, all of which have been on the road, while the Saints (1-3, 1-0 WHAC) picked up their first victory of the season. Saturday's game was the first time the two basketball programs played since 1984. 

Neither team shot the ball well and finished the game under 40 percent from the floor. The 3-point shot was also not much of a factor as each side sank just three shots on the perimeter. Defiance was able to hold water at the free throw line by going 14-for-24 while the Saints were just 8-for-17. Defiance's 39 percent field goal percentage was their lowest since the season-opening loss to Great Lakes Christian (34.3) but did match a season-best in rebounding with 36. 

The first half featured a tight score through the first eight minutes with neither side taking a two-possession lead until the 11:49 mark when Siena Heights led 16-11. The score stood there for three minutes before Siena Heights added two more buckets, including their second 3-pointer of the game, to take a 21-11 lead with 7:32 before half. The lead swelled to as many as 12 until Connor Bush canned a triple with three minutes to go before the break. Dre'Sean Roberts and Carter Sudhoff added layups in the closing minutes but Siena Heights pulled into halftime with a seven-point lead.

Sudhoff become the go-to option on offense early in the second half and scored DC's first six points after halftime. The Saints still held a sizable lead until Evan Angstmann buried a 3-pointer that brought the Jackets within four with 13 minutes remaining. The contest remained at two possessions for the majority of the half until DC cut the deficit to three points in the final minute of the game.

THE TURNING POINT

One game after free throw shooting was the team's high point, the pressure cranked up in the final moments. Defiance clawed back to within three points and had the ball after the Saints failed to convert two free throws to put the game away with 12 second left. Trailing 54-51, freshman guard Jalen Brown drew a foul on a 3-point try at the top of the arc and went to the line with a chance to even the score. However, all three attempts were missed and Siena Heights took over when the ball bounded out of bounds, and sealed it with a free throw on the other end.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Carter Sudhoff got his first-career start and missed a double-double by one rebound. His 16 points led all players in scoring to complement a team-best nine boards. Sudhoff also swatted away three shots.
• Fellow freshman Evan Angstmann posted nine points with one of DC's three 3-pointers.
• The Yellow Jackets got eight players off the bench led in minutes by Devonte Curry and Evan Park. Both players snatched three rebounds each and combined for three points. As a whole, the Jackets bench scored nine points.

UP NEXT

The Yellow Jackets continue WHAC play at home on Wednesday with a men's and women's doubleheader against UNOH. The men's contest will be second in line and tip off at approximately 7:30 p.m. at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

-JACKETS-