Yellow Jackets overpower Golden Eagles for opening night win

DEFIANCE, Ohio - Opening the 2025-26 season in front of a home crowd, the Defiance Yellow Jackets treated the fans at the Karl H. Weaner Center to a 67-56 win over the Kent State Tuscarawas Golden Eagles on Saturday.

The Yellow Jackets (1-0) used 13 players and started four returning sophomores to earn the program's third 1-0 start under head coach Josh Gibson.

After Defiance posted the first points two minutes into the game, the Jackets never trailed. DC's shooting took some time to find its rhythm, shooting just 28 percent in the first half and 1-for-19 from 3-point land, the Purple & Gold flexed their muscles on the boards. Every player in the game for DC had at least one rebound, led by Carder Orr with 10 rebounds in an impressive college debut off the bench. 

The lead swelled to as many as 10 points in the first half following a tip-in by Baylen Blockberger on his first college bucket. In the second half, Defiance led by as many as 17 with less than seven minutes to go.

Carter Sudhoff led Defiance in scoring at 14 points as he set the tone in the early minutes with 8 of DC's first 14 points.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• After a tough shooting first half, Defiance shot 44 percent after halftime to finish the game at 35 percent.
• Carter Sudhoff was an efficient 6-for-9 from the floor and pulled in 6 rebounds.
• Evan Angstmann joined Sudhoff in double figures with 11 points, all in the second half and made a pair of treys. He just missed a double-double with 8 rebounds, and he also had 2 blocks.
• Point guard Christian Burton was a strong facilitator, racking up a game-high 6 assists to complement 8 points.
• Carder Orr shined off the bench with 8 points and a block to go with his 10 rebounds in his debut.
• Baylen Blockberger and Wren Sheets also scored their first college points in the win with 6 points and 5 rebounds apiece.
• Thomas Hallett tallied one bucket in his DC debut and got the starting nod alongside Angstman, Sudhoff, Burton and Jalen Brown, who posted a 7-point night.
• Logan Hortan and Grady Toumazos logged minutes off the Defiance bench in their first college game. Horton gobbled up 4 rebounds while Toumazos helped run the point due to Burton's 3-foul first half.

UP NEXT
Defiance returns to the court on Wednesday night with a home contest against Goshen. Tipoff at the Karl H. Weaner Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.

-JACKETS-