WBB Preview: Defiance hosts Miami-Hamilton on Saturday
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DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College welcomes Miami-Hamilton to the Weaner Center for a non-conference women's basketball matchup on Saturday with a 3 p.m. tipoff.
The Yellow Jackets have lost three in a row for the second time this season after a five-game winning streak in December. Now standing 6-8 overall, Defiance had a solid showing against a tough Anderson squad on Wednesday as the Ravens expanded their margin of victory to 14 points in the fourth quarter. Three players scored double figures after scoring a season-low 40 points in the previous game against No. 3 Transylvania. Taylor Steinbrunner is coming off a season-high 20 points in Wednesday's loss. Lexie Sparks is posting 8.9 points per game since becoming a regular in the starting lineup to begin in December.
Defiance averages 60.6 points per game and allows 61.4, which are each mid-pack in the HCAC. One defensive pressure point for the Yellow Jackets is defending the 3-point shot as Bluffton, Transylvania and Anderson knocked down a combined 32 triples over the last three games against DC. The team's 112 3-pointers allowed are the most by any team in the conference while surrendering double-digit makes in three straight games after allowing just one such game to an opponent over the season's first 11 outings.
DC was slated to face Rose-Hulman in a men's and women's doubleheader, but the Fightin' Engineers' women's team canceled the remainder of their season in December due to low roster numbers. Defiance will be credited with two HCAC victories due to the cancellation of their two games against Rose-Hulman.
In steps Miami-Hamilton, a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association and collection of small colleges. The Harriers enter with an 8-9 record after back-to-back wins in which they posted over 100 points. Saturday's contest is the first of two straight fill-ins for Rose-Hulman in the HCAC as they travel to Anderson on Wednesday. Miami-Hamilton faced Earlham on November 23 and walked away with a 62-41 win on the road.
The Harriers are led by A'Vyonna Kinsey with 12.3 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per contest while also leading the program with 25 made 3-pointers. Shalaya Heath follows at 10.5 points per contest with 5.4 boards. As a whole, Miami-Hamilton is scoring 72.3 points per game and shoots 40.6 percent from the floor with 113 triples.
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