The Defiance College Yellow Jacket nearly upset another nationally-ranked team before falling to Transylvania University at the Weaner Center, 73-76, on Saturday afternoon.
Matt Voland, playing in his final game at the Weaner Center, led DC with 19 points and five rebounds, while junior Curt Croy poured in his usual 16. Freshman C.J. Johnson had 13 points and tied for the game-high with seven assists. Transy was led by Nick Feagan who totaled 30 points and eight boards.
The Pioneers took advantage of their size in the first period and carried a 44-38 lead into the break. Feagan had 19 first-half points, while Johnson kept the Jackets close with 10. Matt Finke gave TU their first double-digit lead of the game, 21-11, at the mid-way point of the first half. DC battled back, going on a 9-0 run and tied the score at 21 on a Voland lay-up with eight minutes left.
Feagan carried the load into the half, scoring on a dunk, a jumper, a twice from three-point land to give Transy the advantage.
A Brett Hammons’ triple at the 8:08 mark of the second brought the Jackets within one, 60-61. Voland consistently scored down-low over the next five minutes as the Jackets tied the game twice within the last minute and a half on Croy free-throws and a Hammons’ lay-up.
A free-throw by Johnson gave DC the lead, 73-72, with 22 seconds remaining, but a Bryan Howard tip-in off a Feagan miss gave TU the final advantage as Transy took the game, 76-73.
Defiance falls to 10-15 on the year and ends the HCAC regular season with a 3-11 mark.
The Jackets, ranked eighth in the conference, will travel to top-ranked Hanover on Tuesday for the first-round of the conference tournament. Tip-off time is to be determined.