DC Beats Manchester Led By Alexander's Double-Double

NORTH MANCHESTER, IND.  --  The Defiance College men's basketball team began its Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule with a convincing 81-67 win against Manchester (Ind.) University led by junior Tyler Alexander's (Indianapolis, Ind./Northwest) 29 points and 11 rebounds at Stauffer-Wolfe Arena in North Manchester, Ind.

Alexander's 29 points were also a game-high and his 11 boards marked his first double-double of the season.  He shot 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from the field and was seven-of-16 (43.8 percent) from the free-throw line.  Three other Yellow Jacket players scored in double figures with junior Devin Mangas (Leipsic) scoring 14 points and the duo of juniors Chris Holmes (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) and Keandre Gilmer (Toledo/Rogers) both added 11 points each.

Early in the first half with the score tied at 5-5, Defiance (2-3, 1-0 HCAC) outscored Manchester (2-4, 0-1 HCAC), 9-2, over the next three minutes to lead by seven points, 14-7, and continued to pull away.  The Jackets recorded their first double-digit lead of the game as part of an 8-0 scoring run near the midway point of the period that ended in a layup by Alexander to give DC a 14-point advantage, 28-14, with 8:04 left before halftime.  

DC went on to lead by as many as 19 points, 36-17, thanks to another layup by Alexander.  The Spartans ended the half with 7-0 run, however, to cut the deficit to 36-24 at the break.

The shooting stayed hot for Defiance in the second half as the Jackets made 59.1 percent (13-of-22) of its attempts, including getting to the free-throw line 28 times and made 17 of their attempts (60.7 percent).  Manchester continued its run to begin the second half with nine straight points to grow the overall run to 16 unanswered to pull to within three points, 36-33, with 18:14 remaining in the game.  

Following a three-pointer by Holmes to end the scoring drought, the Spartans answered with a basket of their own before a 11-2 DC run put the Yellow Jackets back out in front by a more comfortable 13 points, 50-37, with 12:01 to go.  

The Spartans would no go away as an ensuing 9-0 run got Manchester to within four points, 50-46, at the 7:41 mark.  The scoring runs continued between the two teams as DC put the game away with a 16-0 run following the Manchester scoring fleury to go up by 20 points, 60-46, thanks to a three-point play by Gilmer with 3:37 left to play.  

Defiance never relinquished its double-figure lead the rest of the way and went on to post the 81-67 victory.

Manchester shot 46.7 percent (28-of-60) overall, but shot just 26.3 percent (five-of-19) from three-point range.  The Spartans had three players score in double figures led by Adrian Johnson with 15 points.  Matt Brown was second with 14 points and Brody Kirby added 10 points.

Defiance will travel to Franklin, Ind. for a HCAC game against Franklin College on Saturday, Dec. 5.  The game will be part of a basketball doubleheader with the Yellow Jacket women's team.  The women will play against the Grizzlies at 2 p.m., followed by the men at 4 p.m.