Yellow Jackets Win OT Thriller

NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – Defiance College rode some hot shooting in the first half to an exciting 68-61 victory over Manchester University in overtime.  The win was a big one for the Yellow Jackets, as they open up Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play with a victory.

The game was tight the whole time with neither Defiance (2-4, 1-0 HCAC) or Manchester (2-2, 0-1 HCAC) able to gain a double digit lead in the 45 minutes.

For the second straight game, Kelsey Tietje (Deshler, Ohio/Patrick Henry) put in the first bucket for the Yellow Jackets.  This time on an and one that tied the game up at three early.  Mekai White (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods) gave DC its first lead at the 14:45 mark with a three point shot.  The teams battled back and forth to an 18-17 game in favor of the Yellow Jackets when the away squad went on a 7-0 run.  Megan Zachrich (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon) started things with a three.  Tietje followed that up with a couple of free throws.  Zachrich capped off the run with a lay-in at the 4:13 mark to give DC the 25-17 advantage.  After a Manchester free throw, Sharai Allen (Detroit, Mich./Eastern Michigan University) hit a jumper to give DC its biggest lead of the night.  The Yellow Jackets led 27-18 with 3:38 left in the first half.  Manchester would cut the lead to four by intermission, but DC led 29-25 at the break.

Tietje led the way in the first half with 11 points.  The Yellow Jackets shot a blistering 52.4% in the first half on 11-of-21 shooting from the field.

MU came out of the gate fast in the second half before a Brittany Osborne (Union City, Ind./Union City) jumper stopped the Spartans run.  Manchester went on another small run when Osborne hit another jumper to stop the run.  This time at the 12:04 mark that had DC trailing 37-33.  Osborne made a layup a short time later to score DC's first six points of the second half.  Manchester was able to stretch the lead out to seven points with under five minutes left to play.  A pair of free throws from Tietje followed by an Ashley Williams (Leipsic, Ohio/Pandora-Gilboa) lay-in cut the Spartans lead to three just thirty seconds later.  Manchester kept the tight lead until with 20 seconds left, Erica Smay (Defiance, Ohio/Tinora) hit a huge three from the top of the key to give DC the one point advantage.  The Spartans found a three of their own to regain the two point led with eight seconds remaining.  DC was able to find a slashing Zachrich in the late seconds, who converted on a tough lay up as time expired to send the game into overtime.  The score was tied at 54 after 40 minutes of play.

After the home team made the first bucket of OT, Smay found another shot from downtown to give DC a lead that it would not surrender again.  Whitney Schalk (Bellevue, Ohio/Bellevue) and Williams would each split a pair of free throws to give the Yellow Jackets a 59-56 lead with 2:57 remaining.  Smay and Zachrich each added another field goal and the Yellow Jackets iced the game at the free throw line, not allowing MU to get within striking distance the last two minutes of play.  The Yellow Jackets took the 68-61 win.

Tietje put together her third double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds.  Smay and Zachrich added 14 points and 13 points, respectively.  Osborne also got into double figures as well with 10 points.

Zachrich, Osborne, and Schalk all added five rebounds apiece.

Williams dished out a game-high four assists.  Smay and Schalk both added three.

The Yellow Jackets shot 47.8% (22-26) from the floor for the game.

DC has its conference home opener against Mount St. Joseph on Saturday.  The tip will be tossed at 1 pm.