Box Score
Mount sophomore guard Joel Scudder (Greendale, IN/South Dearborn) fired in a career-high 33 points, hitting all seven of his three-point attempts, but the Lions came up just short on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 72-64 HCAC decision at home to Defiance College. The Mount, 4-3 overall, 1-1 in the HCAC, returns to the court on Dec. 14 with a conference game at Franklin College.
Visiting Defiance College shot 50 percent in the first half, but led by just a 32-29 margin at the intermission, due mainly to the Mount's accurate shooting from long range in the first half. Scudder connected on all five of his long-range attempts in the opening 20 minutes of action, to keep his team close, 32-29, as he scored 21 first half points.
Scudder put the Lions ahead on their first possession of the second half, making a rare four-point play, but the Yellow Jackets quickly grabbed back the advantage and stayed ahead until Mark Allen (Cincinnati, OH/Northwest) tied the game at 46-all with 11:41 on the clock. The game's lead see-sawed back-and-forth over the next few minutes, until Defiance hit a shot with 6:53 to play to take a 54-52 lead. The Yellow Jackets would never relinquish their advantage, as they pushed the score to 66-56 with just over two and one-half minutes remaining in the game. Defiance utilizied a strong inside game in the second half, converting 70 percent of their shots (14-of-20) and adding 12-of-16 free throws in the final 20 minutes of play.
The Lions were 10-of-21 shooting in the second half, including three-of-seven from behind the three-point arc, and 12-of-21 from the charity stripe. Defiance held a 32-5 rebounding advantage. The Mount committed eight turnovers to the Yellow Jackets' 11 miscues.
Travis Tackett (Vevay, IN/Switzerland County) chipped in a team-high six rebounds and four assists, while Scudder added five rebounds.
