RICHMOND, Indiana – Four Earlham players charted double-doubles, including 21 points and a career-high 10 assists from senior Blake Bonin, but the Quakers' efforts were not enough to get past a persistent Defiance College squad and Earlham men's basketball dropped a 99-95 triple-overtime heartbreaker to the Yellow Jackets in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference clash on Wednesday night at Druley Performance Gym.

THE BASICS

Final Score:  Defiance 99, Earlham 95 (3OT)
Location: Richmond, Indiana – Druley Performance Gym
Records: Earlham 7-9, 3-6 HCAC / Defiance 10-6, 5-4 HCAC

HOW IT HAPPENED

A four-point Earlham halftime lead, 37-33, turned into an 18-point second-half deficit for the Quakers, thanks to a 21-4 Defiance run lasting just under seven minutes and resulting in a 64-46 Yellow Jacket lead with 9:33 remaining in regulation.

However, an air-tight Earlham defense clamped down on Defiance and held the Yellow Jackets 0-of-12 from the floor the rest of the way while the Quakers began clawing their way back into the contest. A 12-2 Earlham run pulled the Quakers to within eight of Defiance, 66-58, at the 5:17 mark, and Bonin knotted the game at 71-71 with 11 seconds remaining to force overtime.

Defiance scored first in the overtime period, eventually extending its lead to 81-77 with 1:05 remaining. Jamel Barnes' 3-pointer cut the margin to one point, with the Yellow Jackets' Avonte Jones hitting the second of two foul shots to stretch the Defiance lead to two points with 31 seconds showing on the clock. Senior Chainey Zolman was fouled on Earlham's ensuing possession and converted both free throws to tie the game at 82-82 and force a second OT period.

The second overtime looked much like the first – Defiance took a four-point lead, 86-82, following a pair of Marell Jordan free throws. Barnes connected on a layup to cut the margin in half, and a Jones foul sent Zolman to the line again. This time, Zolman hit the second of his two shots to leave Defiance with an 86-85 lead with 2:37 to play. After missed jumpers at either end of the floor, Zolman again went to the line for two shots, hitting the second shot to tie the game at 86-86 and continuing the action into triple overtime.

Earlham's luck finally ran out in the third overtime period. Jack Kolar opened play with a 3-pointer for Defiance, but a series of free throws by Zolman knotted the game at 89-89 with just under four minutes remaining. The game was still tied at 92-92 with 1:13 showing on the clock when Bonin broke the deadlock with a layup. A Micaiah Cox 3-pointer at the other end of the floor gave the Jackets a 95-94 lead with 42 seconds remaining, with Defiance regaining possession on a Zolman turnover. Earlham began fouling in a bid to keep Defiance within striking distance, and the Yellow Jackets' Sean Tyson and Jordan answered by going a combined 4-for-4 at the stripe over the final 30 seconds to keep Defiance in the lead for the victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Joining Bonin with double-doubles were Zolman with a team-high 23 points and 11 rebounds, Barnes with 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Kenneth Stalling Jr. with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Earlham shot 43.6 percent (34-of-78) from the field to Defiance's 39.0 percent (32-of-82), and each team connected on 12 3-point field goals. The Quakers and Yellow Jackets each grabbed 49 rebounds, with Defiance holding a slight 9-6 advantage on the offensive glass.

The Yellow Jackets did come out ahead at the free-throw line, charting a 23-for-28 mark at the stripe on 22 Earlham fouls. The Quakers went 15-for-21 at the line on 18 Defiance fouls.

Defiance had five players finish in double digits, led by Jordan with 22 points. Tyler Andrew chipped in 20 points for the Jackets.

The game featured 17 lead changes and was tied nine times.

WHAT'S NEXT

Earlham men's basketball continues the homestand on Saturday, Jan. 25, when it hosts Franklin College in the second game of an HCAC doubleheader with the Grizzlies.