Defiance drops its season opener 76-53 at Siena Heights

ADRIAN, Mich. - In a rebuilding year, Defiance College women's basketball opened up its 2024-25 season Tuesday night at Siena Heights, falling 76-53 to the Saints in the Siena Heights Fieldhouse. The Yellow Jackets returned three players, recruited two transfers, nine freshman and one dual-sport athlete already at DC. 

The Saints (2-1) are coming off a 27-5, second-place Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference finish, 2023-24 campaign, while Defiance (0-1) is focused on turning around its 0-25 last season. 

Siena Heights got off to a quick start with nine interrupted points, three of which were point off Yellow Jacket turnovers. With just over three minutes off the first-quarter clock, Notre Dame College senior transfer Makaiya Thomas made her first bucket for DC — a three-pointer to cut the Saints' lead to six. For the next five minutes of play, scoring went back-and-forth until Southwestern Michigan College transfer Na'lani Williams made a layup, making the score 9-14 Siena Heights at the 3:37 mark of the first quarter. 

To end the first 10-minute period, the Saints went on a 14-point scoring streak and Defiance never came within five for the remainder of the contest. 

With 9:30 left in the first half, Williams scored two to make the score 28-11. DC's scoring became scattered until two minutes remained before halftime, as Thomas was fouled and approached the free-throw line, knocking down both. Defiance went on to make the score 40-25 before the Saints scored one more field goal to lead by 17 after the first half. 

Siena Heights continued to shoot faster and more frequently than the Yellow Jackets, outscoring Defiance 19-12 in the third quarter. Though the fourth quarter began with DC down 61-37, the Yellow Jackets kept their starters in the game to outshoot the Saints 16-15 to close out the game. 

THE TURNING POINT

The 14-point scoring run by Siena Heights, which lasted from 3:37 in the first to 9:30 in the second, halted Defiance's scoring momentum. From beginning the game down nine points quickly, they came back to battle within five until five Saints' shooters began knocking down shots. 

A CLOSER LOOK

• Nine new players saw the court for the Yellow Jackets for the first time

• Na'lani Williams led the scoring for Defiance with 15 points, shooting 5-for-8 field goals

• LeShae Berry and Morgan Crowe both shot 2-for-2 from the free-throw line

• The Yellow Jackets shot 40% from beyond the arc, 4-for-10

• Defiance outrebounded Siena Heights 34-30

• The Saints bench scored 40 points to Defiance's 18

• The Yellow Jackets gave away 35 turnovers while Siena Heights acquired 21 steals

UP NEXT

Defiance will continue their five-game road trip at Bethel (Ind.) on Friday. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

-JACKETS-