DC routed by defending WHAC Tournament champs

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - After a week-long layoff, the Defiance Yellow Jackets suffered their largest defeat of the season in a 118-54 loss to the Cornerstone Golden Eagles at Mol Arena on Saturday.

The Yellow Jackets (3-6, 1-3 WHAC) dropped to 0-4 on the road in one of the program's most lopsided losses, surpassing the modern record (since 1946) of 48 points at Wittenberg in 1992. The Golden Eagles (5-3, 3-0 WHAC) were the first team to score greater than 83 points against the Yellow Jackets this year and were receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 until the most recent poll was released on Wednesday. Cornerstone, the WHAC defending conference tournament champions, picked up their third straight win and have played five games against Top 25 programs so far this season.

Defiance's Jalen Brown earned the game's first points after splitting a pair of free throws and the game was tied 4-4 before Cornerstone hit the nitrous and sped away for the rest of the first half. Cornerstone's 51 points in the first 20 minutes was the largest first half by any DC opponent this year. Brown had the Jackets' first seven points and went on to lead the team with 22 for the night.

THE TURNING POINT
Defiance's longest scoring drought was 3-and-a-half minutes from 12:30-8:59 in the first half while Cornerstone scored eight straight. However, Defiance failed to convert a field goal between Connor Bush layups at the 13:42 and 6:27 posts of the opening period, a stretch of seven minutes. Cornerstone went on a 21-3 run over that period and went 7-for-15 from the floor and capitalized on four DC turnovers during that time.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Defiance's 54 points were their second-lowest of the season so far while shooting a season-low 26.6 percent. DC made just 2-of-21 3-point attempts as well.
• Cornerstone enjoyed a 53 percent shooting afternoon with 17 3-pointers, the most by a DC opponent this year. 
• The Golden Eagles dominated the boards, 50-30. They also forced Defiance into 16 turnovers and committed just six of their own.
• The free throw line was a fairly even battle with Defiance making 18-of-22 and Cornerstone going 19-for-29. 
• Jalen Brown's 22 points for Defiance was his third 20-point game of the year. He also hauled in a team-best six rebounds.
• Connor Bush followed with 14 points and went 6-for-7 at the line.
• Cornerstone had five players in double figures with Luke Rowlinson's game-high 25 and Kayden Bird's 22 off the bench.
• Cornerstone's Toby Woolcock recorded a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

UP NEXT
Defiance returns home on Wednesday with a conference matchup against the Madonna Crusaders as part of a men's and women's doubleheader. The men's contest is second in the lineup and will tipoff at approximately 7:30 p.m.

-JACKETS-