Day scores career-high 29 points for DC in loss at Franklin

FRANKLIN, Ind. – A career-best 29 points by super senior Taylor Day was not enough for Defiance College to overcome a slow first half as Franklin downed the Yellow Jackets, 62-49, at the Spurlock Center on Saturday.

Day posted eight of the Yellow Jackets (6-11, 1-8 HCAC) 10 first-quarter points and two during the second before exploding for 12 more in the third quarter. She posted seven more in the fourth including the last bucket of the game. 

The loss for DC is their sixth in a row while the Grizzlies (7-9, 4-5 HCAC) snapped a four-game slide.

Despite falling behind 36-14 at halftime, the Yellow Jackets got off to a good start through the first seven minutes and held a 10-7 lead. Defiance went cold with six straight misses to close the opening quarter while Franklin posted the final 12 points on 7-of-9 shooting over the last three minutes of the quarter. Rough shooting numbers continued in the second period as Defiance went just 1-for-16 from the floor on a made jumper by Day.

The Yellow Jackets found some rhythm in the third quarter by doubling up the Grizzlies, 22-11, on 6-for-14 shooting and 9-for-10 at the free throw line to trim the deficit down to 11. Franklin started the half with an early layup but then went scoreless over the next three minutes as McKenzie Cooper got rolling for Defiance near the six-minute mark. She hit two free throws for her first points of the game and drove in for a layup to answer the end of Franklin's scoring drought. After Day scored the game's next eight points, Cooper hit a jumper to bring DC within 10 with 3:38 left in the third to bookend a 10-0 run for the Yellow Jackets. Things went back and forth the rest of the game, but Cooper gave the Jackets a boost with a big 3-pointer before the third quarter horn. Cooper finished the third quarter with nine of her 13 total points. She also matched Day with a game-high seven rebounds.

The final eight minutes were even basketball with Franklin holding a 15-13 edge. Both teams made five field goals and grabbed eight rebounds while the Grizzlies hit one 3-pointer and an extra free throw to account for the additional two points. Day split a pair of free throws at the start of the quarter to bring Defiance back to within 10, but that was as close as the team could claw back.

The Grizzlies had three players in double figures led by Jordan Coon with 19 markers.

Defiance returns to play with another road conference game at Mount St. Joseph on Wednesday night. Tipoff in Cincinnati is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

-JACKETS-