Yellow Jackets cruise to victory in Wednesday night thriller

DEFIANCE, Ohio - With three players in double-digit scoring, the Defiance College Yellow Jackets cruised to victory in a nail-biting fashion over the Kuyper Cougars, 63-60. 

Within the first four minutes of the Wednesday night contest, the Yellow Jackets (3-12, 1-7 WHAC) shutout the Cougars (4-9, 3-2 NCCAA) 8-0, courtesy of 3-of-5 shooting from the home team. As 1:36 remained in the first quarter, a 3-pointer from Kuyper's Brynn Johnson tied the score at nine. One minute later, a missed shot from Defiance and foul on its next offensive series contributed to  a 15-14 Cougar lead to finish off the quarter. 

Kuyper opened the second quarter with five-consecutive points, but it didn't take long for the Yellow Jackets to adjust and even the score at 20 near midway through the period. Leading up to halftime, the scoring bounced back and forth — the Cougars with a consistent, slight edge. Defiance's Alante Wright, in only her second game as a Yellow Jacket, made her third shot from beyond the arc on the night to bring her team back within two, 30-28, heading into the locker room.

The third quarter featured more back-and-forth scoring, while Kuyper held their slim lead. However, Defiance fought back in the fourth — hard. 

The Cougars led since 2:30 remained in the second quarter with the Yellow Jackets never far behind. All Defiance needed was a momentum shift in its favor, which came as Chandler Duncan sank a 3-pointer with 5:01 left in the game. Her triple was followed by a Kuyper turnover and Duncan steal, setting her up to tie the game at 53 with a layup and under five minutes remaining. 

Crunch time began. At the 34-second mark, Taylor Haynes tied the contest once again, making another to take a 62-60 lead with 18 seconds left. With no choice but to foul, the Cougars sent Ali Mowen to the line, who iced the game going 1-of-2 with no time left for Kuyper to claw back. Defiance, despite their fight to win, made just 5-of-20 shots from the free-throw line. 

THE TURNING POINT

Trailing for most of the second half, Chandler Duncan's 3-pointer with just over five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter set the Yellow Jackets up for success, and put a stressor on the visiting Cougars. From the 5:01 mark on, Kuyper turned the ball over five times, in which Defiance took advantage three of those times, and committed four fouls. 

A CLOSER LOOK

• Chandler Duncan led the night's scoring with 18 points

• Taylor Haynes and Alante Wright contributed with double-digit scoring nights, as well

• San'Taizia Thomas' block became her 14th of the season

• Defiance won the second-chance points battle 15-12

• Forty-five of the Yellow Jacket's points came from the bench

• Mone'a McElroy earned her first start of the season

• Kuyper led Defiance by as many as seven in the third quarter

• Wright shot 50% in the first half

UP NEXT

Defiance will venture on its second away trip of the new year as it is set to visit Cleary at Gannon Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff will take place at 1 p.m. and the men's teams will follow. 

-JACKETS-