Jackets lock down first WHAC win of the season over Siena Heights

ADRIAN, Mich. – The Defiance Yellow Jackets outlasted the Siena Heights Saints in a defensive showdown, 61-55, as DC scored its first win in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference action this season. 

The Yellow Jackets (6-3, 1-3 WHAC) also secured the team's first road victory of the campaign, snapping a short two-game skid, while handing the Saints (2-6, 0-5 WHAC) their fifth straight defeat.

DC held the upper hand for all 40 minutes. Christian Burton landed a floater in the lane to start the action followed by a 3-pointer from Carder Orr two minutes later to increase the lead to 5-1. Orr went on to star in the early minutes with two more buckets to total 7 of the team's first 14 points while building a 10-point lead. Isaiah Meade-Moss got in on the action with a pair of treys during his first rotation of the night to push the Jackest further ahead by 14, their biggest lead of the afternoon. 

Siena Heights cut the lead to as low as two points early in the second half. The contest jockeyed from one to two possessions for much of the first 10 minutes after halftime. Evan Angstmann broke that trend with 10 minutes left when he buried a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 46-39, and Meade-Mosse pushed it back to 7 with 6:34 left on his third triple. Defiance led by 10 with less than 6 minutes left on a 3-pointer by Orr to create a cushion to eventually take the game by 6 points.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Despite scrapping for 61 points, the Yellow Jackets shot the ball well at 46 percent. DC is now 5-0 when shooting better than 40 percent this season.
• Defiance were aided by the 3-point shot and connected for 9 makes for a 36 percent clip. Evan Angstmann and Isaiah Meade-Moss each racked up three makes from long range.
• Carder Orr enjoyed a breakout performance to lead Defiance with 16 points, a new season-high. He made a pair of 3-pointers and went a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor, plus 2 makes at the free throw line. Orr also secured 7 rebounds.
• Christian Burton did a little bit of everything with 8 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.
• Angstmann and Meade-Moss joined Orr in double figures with 10 and 11 points, respectively.
• The Yellow Jackets dominated the glass and outrebounded the Saints 38-23. Siena Heights was also held to just 2-for-18 from 3-point range and finished with 26 of 55 in the paint.
• The one blemish in the box for DC was their turnovers, committing a season-high 22 and allowing Siena Heights to score 17 points off those miscues.
• Defiance's defense continues to impress by holding its third opponent to less than 60 points.

UP NEXT
Defiance has a week of rest before hitting the floor again next Saturday. The Yellow Jackets travel to UNOH to continue conference play with a 3 p.m. tipoff at The Garage against the Racers. 

-JACKETS-