BRADFORD, Pennsylvania - November 18, 2023 - A close non-conference game between Hiram and Pitt-Bradford ended in an 85-75 loss on Saturday afternoon at KOA Arena.

The Terriers outrebounded the Panthers, 41-34, and held the advantage in fast-break points (20-16) and second-chance points (14-12) despite the defeat.

Trent Jakacki contributed 19 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, while Manuel Devora Violan had a similar performance off the bench with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Sophomore Nick Miller added a career-high 11 points and Ivan Yang had another 9 rebounds after entering the day with the most boards in Division III.

Hiram led 4-0 and 18-12 early in the first half, with six different student-athletes scoring for the road team during that span. Miller was in a groove, scoring 8 of his 11 points over the first 20 minutes.

It proved to be a back-and-forth first half between two evenly matched rosters, with neither team gaining a lead larger than 6 points for the entirety of the period. Pitt-Bradford went on a 9-0 run to take a 21-18 lead with 8:24 remaining, but Hiram stayed close and trailed by just six points heading to the intermission (42-36).

The Terriers tried to make up some ground in the second half, cutting the deficit to five points on multiple occasions. Devora Violan and Jakacki were on target with a number of high-percentage layups and mid-range jump shots, but the Panthers held their lead and wouldn't let the margin get any closer than five points through the final whistle.

Hiram will enjoy the holiday break before playing Bluffton on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. from the Sommer Center in Bluffton, Ohio.