DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Bluffton University men's basketball team built a 25-point lead and coasted in for a 71-64 victory over Defiance College at the Weaner Center on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021. Bluffton stays perfect at 4-0 while Defiance opened its season with a loss.

With the game tied at six apiece, the visitors went on a quick 10-0 run powered by four points apiece from freshman Marcus Peaks (Pataskala/Watkins Memorial) and junior Chad Frey (Lima/Bath). The lead ballooned as Marcus Bruns got to the rack twice, Ryan Rose (Tipp City/Bethel) drained a three and Dezman Brown (Elyria) scored five straight to make it 39-17 at the half.

Junior Jameel Cosby (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) picked the Jackets off less than a minute into the second period and rammed it home for a 43-22 lead and then he followed a Brown triple with his third basket of the half for a 48-24 spread. When sophomore Mike Ketner (Minster) found senior Aaron Rich (Greenville) for an easy two, the visitors had their largest lead of the game at 56-31.

Defiance battled back, making it an 11-point game with over six minutes to play before Bruns hit from deep, allowing the good guys to stay in control. Cosby and Brown combined to go 6-of-8 at the stripe down the stretch to seal Bluffton's 71-64 victory over the rival Jackets.

Cosby led the charge with 20 points on 7-of-14 from the field. Brown added 11 counters and Bruns chipped in with nine. Peaks and Ketner both tallied eight points for the victors. Rich ripped down a game-high 11 boards and just missed a double double with eight markers. Cosby and Ketner dished out four assists apiece.

Bluffton hit 28-of-58 from the field (48.3 percent) and 9-of-12 at the line (75 percent). The Beavers dominated the boards (43-25), but they also turned it over six more times (18-12). 

The long-time rivals will be back at it on Saturday, Jan. 16, when the venue moves to Bluffton. Tip-off in the Sommer Center is slated for 4 p.m. following the women's matchup at 2 p.m.

-BEAVERS-