Jackets suffer setback at home to Madonna

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance Yellow Jackets were defeated 101-69 by Madonna Crusaders at the Karl H. Weaner Center on Wednesday, snapping DC's string of two straight wins on their home floor.

Wednesday's contest was defined by the shooting and rebounding categories, two things the Crusaders (10-5, 7-2 WHAC) gave the Yellow Jackets (8-6, 3-6 WHAC) fits over 40 minutes. Madonna shot an eye-popping 62 percent for the game aided by 9 3-pointers, while the Jackets finished at 37 percent. On the boards, the Crusaders flexed for a 45-29 advantage.

In the first half, the two sides traded baskets early and maintained a one-possession spread to the 11-minute mark of the quarter. The Yellow Jackets went cold and missed their next three shots that Madonna cleared the boards and turned those rebounds into a 20-11 lead. After Jalen Brown broke the drought with a 3-pointer and a jumper to bring DC within four, Madonna pulled away on 15-0 run over the next four minutes. The Crusaders led by as many as 20 behind a feverish 19 first-half points by Joey Liedel, who went on to score a game-high 24.

Despite a stabilized offense for Defiance after halftime, the Crusaders kept the pedal down to shoot 65 percent in the second half to add 58 more points. Madonna was the first opponent to score 100 points against the Yellow Jackets this season, who entered the contest second in the conference in scoring defense.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• After a 6-for-25 start to the game, the Yellow Jackets shot 43 percent (21-for-49) the remainder of the game. Defiance was also outrebounded 20-9 at that point in the game.
• Sophomore guards Christian Burton (18 points) and Jalen Brown (12 points) carried DC's offense as the lone players in double figures.
• Freshmen Baylen Blockberger and Wren Sheets along with Donovan Stone ended with 7 points each.
• Defiance came into Wednesday's game second in the conference in rebounding before enduring an uncharacteristic performance on the boards. The loss to Madonna was just the fourth game this year the Jackets had fewer rebounds than their opponent.
• The Purple and Gold also experienced a setback in 3-point shooting, which was strong entering Wednesday night after double-digit makes outside the arc in 3 of 4 games. The Jackets went 4-for-29 and the 14 percent clip was the team's lowest since Nov. 17.
• Defiance also welcomed sophomore Carter Sudhoff back to the starting lineup after he missed the previous 5 games due to injury.

UP NEXT
Defiance travels to Aquains on Sunday for a 3 p.m. contest against the Saints at the Sturrus Center.

-JACKETS-