Manchester pulls away in second half for 57-41 victory over Yellow Jackets

NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. - The Defiance College women's basketball lost a defensive slugfest Wednesday night at Manchester by a score of 57-41. 

Both teams struggled from the floor and both teams finished with a shooting mark under 40 percent. The loss for the Yellow Jackets is their 12th straight to begin the year and DC is now 0-12 and 0-5 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Spartans improve to 4-8 overall and 1-4 in the HCAC. 

TURNING POINT

With Manchester leading 21-19 at halftime, the Spartans exploded for 20 points in the third quarter to take control of the game. Addy Allen started the second half with a jump shot to even the score at 21. The Spartans would then respond and go on an 8-0 run to take a 29-21 lead. Madison Stamm knocked down back-to-back three pointers during the stretch. Ali Mowen knocked down a jumper to bring the Yellow Jackets back within two, but the earlier eight point deficit was too much to overcome for the Yellow Jackets. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Both teams came out of the gates ice cold from the floor and the Spartans would hold a 6-4 advantage after the first quarter. The Yellow Jackets went 2-for-12 from the floor in the first period and the Spartans shot 3-for-14. The first field goal of the game was a Madison Stamm layup 1:53 into the game. The Yellow Jackets were scoreless for the first 3:24 until Addy Allen knocked down a jumper. Zadria King hit a jump shot with 3:51 remaining in the opening period to make the score 6-4 and that ended up being the final points of the quarter as the teams combined to miss the final 10 shot attempts. 

Taylor Bates started the second quarter with a layup to tie the game. The Yellow Jackets were unable to get over the hump and take the lead as Hailee Kline knocked down two free throws on Manchester's next possession to take the lead back. Defiance trailed 18-10 with 5:10 remaining in the first half, their largest deficit of the game at the time. Karrie Smith was good from downtown and Zadria King hit a jumper as DC closed the half on a mini 5-0 run to end the half and trailed by two, 21-19.

That momentum for the Yellow Jackets carried over into the third quarter as they tied the game 15 seconds into the second half. The Spartans quickly answered with an 8-0 run to regain momentum and continued that momentum throughout the rest of the game. With 4:31 remaining in the third quarter, a Taylor Bates steal led to a three by Ali Mowen to cut the deficit to two, 31-29. That would be as close as the Yellow Jackets were able to get in the rest of the game as the Spartans responded with the next six points. 

Manchester outscored Defiance 36-22 in the second half and led by as many as 18 in the fourth quarter to put the finishing touches on this one. 

BRINGING THE STING

• Zadria King and Taylor Bates led the way with 10 points each.

• King grabbed a team-leading eight rebounds and Bates recorded a team-high three assists and three steals. The three assists and three steals are both career highs for Bates.

• Karrie Smith was the only Yellow Jacket to hit multiple three-pointers and grabbed a career-best four rebounds. 

• Addy Allen grabbed a season-high four rebounds which also ties a career best.

• The 30.8 shooting percentage for the Yellow Jackets is their best since November 27 against Hiram.

• The Yellow Jackets committed 27 turnovers which led to 23 Spartan points. 

• Hailee Kline and Maddison Smith finished with 11 and 10 respectively for the Spartans.

UP NEXT

The Yellow Jackets begin a stretch of five straight home games this Saturday, Jan. 6 against Rose-Hulman at the Karl H. Weaner Center. The women's game tips off at 1 p.m. with the men's game to follow.