FRANKLIN – Round two of Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play tipped off for the Franklin women's basketball team on Saturday (Jan. 21) afternoon, with a matchup against the Defiance Yellow Jackets on tap in the Spurlock Center.
 
The Grizzlies (7-10, 5-5 HCAC) held an opponent to under 30% shooting for the second straight game and seventh time this season, riding a strong defensive effort to a 62-49 win over the Yellow Jackets (6-11, 2-8 HCAC).
 
How it Happened
Franklin grabbed control of the game late in the first quarter with a 12-0 run to close out the period and give the Griz a 19-10 after one. The second quarter saw Franklin put on a defensive clinic, as they held Defiance to just one field goal and four total points on their way to a 36-14 halftime lead. The 14 first half points are a season-low allowed by Franklin in an opening half this year.
 
Defiance responded with a strong third quarter that cut the Grizzlies' lead down to 11 with one quarter to play, but that ended being as close as the Yellow Jackets would get as Franklin slammed the door shut on any kind of a fourth quarter comeback bid.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Franklin shot 43.4% (23-for-53) from the floor, going 8-for-20 from long range.
-The Grizzlies limited Defiance to 29.3% (17-for-58) shooting and just 1-for-15 from long range for the day.
-Jordan Coon led the Grizzlies with 19 points, going 5-for-11 from the floor and 3-for-6 from three while sinking all six free throws.
-Jasmine Walker had a season-high 12 points and Georgia Hanauer had 11 off the bench, leading a Franklin reserve group that out-score Defiance's bench 28-3.
-Rebounds were 40-31 in Franklin's favor with Walker, Coon and CiCi Bailey tying for the team lead with seven each.
 
Up Next
Franklin is on the road for their next two games with the first coming on Wednesday (Jan. 25) night in Richmond, Ind. against the Earlham Quakers. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.