February 8, 2017
By: Jared Sleutz, sports information assistant

DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance College men rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to defeat visiting Bluffton University 75-70 on a snowy Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017. Bluffton dipped to 12-10 overall and 5-10 in the Heartland Conference, while Defiance upped its mark to 6-16 and 5-10 in the HCAC.

A pair of conventional three-point plays from JARED WENTLING (Carey) followed by AUSTIN ROHDE (Shelby) and JUSTIS DOWDY (Van Wert/Lincolnview) deuces sandwiched around another Wentling bucket had Bluffton large and in charge, up 60-45 with 11:30 to play. However, the proverbial wheels came off as Defiance scored nine straight points and 30 of the final 40 en route to a stunning 75-70 victory which gave the Jackets a series split this season.

Austin Rohde, who scored 19 of Bluffton's first 21 points thanks to 5-of-5 shooting from distance in the first 12 minutes, netted a game-high 28 points, giving him 1,211 for his career. He jumped to 15th on the all-time scoring list while seeing his season average eclipse 20 PPG. Wentling added 14 points and a team-high eight boards thanks to 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the second half. Sophomore MARTIN MAKSVYTIS (Dayton/Franklin-Monroe) chipped in with eight markers.

Bluffton hit 25-of-54 (46.3 percent), including a red-hot 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from outside the arc. Defiance matched the Beavers with a 10-of-20 (50 percent) evening from deep. The Beavers were nearly perfect at the stripe, converting 11-of-12 for 91.7 percent. DC pulled down 12 more rebounds (37-25), but Bluffton turned it over two fewer times (12-10).

The Beavers return to action with their final road trip of the year on Saturday when they travel to Anderson University for a 4 p.m. tip with the Ravens.

-BEAVERS-