NORTH MANCHESTER, IND. – Manchester University put three players in double figures scoring-wise Wednesday, Dec. 2, but it wasn't enough to overcome a red-hot shooting Defiance College team.

Freshman guard Adrian Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind.) resumed his impressive freshman campaign, tallying 15 points and also led the home team in assists (four); senior forward Matt Brown (Hobart, Ind.) added 14 points; and sophomore guard Brody Kirby (Frankfort, Ind.) came off the bench to register 10 points. However, the visiting Yellow Jackets (2-3 overall, 1-0 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) hit 58.7 percent from the field and were just as tough from outside the arc, draining five of nine attempts for a 55.6 percent evening in route to an 81-67 decision inside Stauffer-Wolfe Arena.

DC took advantage of a slow start for the host Spartans, scoring 14 of the game's first 21 points and building their lead out to as much as 17 (36-19) in the late stages of the first half. MU (2-4 overall, 0-1 HCAC) answered with a strong early second half run, trimming the deficit to as little as six (52-46) with 7:21 to go. From that point, the visitors pieced together a game-deciding 14-0 run to re-open their advantage to 20.

The Black and Gold return to the Stan C. Weller Court in honor of Coaches Hoffmann and Wolfe Saturday, Dec. 5. Hanover College pays a visit for a 3 p.m. tipoff.

NOTES: The junior guard tandem of Chase Casteel (Monrovia, Ind.) and Blake Brouwer (Elkhart, Ind.) each grabbed five rebounds to lead the glass attack. Brouwer also blocked three Defiance College shot attempts … Johnson's first season in a Black and Gold uniform has seen him end in double figures in all but one game. His totals have him tied for the team scoring lead (14.3 points per game) through six contests.