SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The case of the Wittenberg Tigers' missing offense was solved. All it took was an amped up defensive effort.

The Tigers returned from a 10-day holiday layoff to turn in perhaps their best performance of the 2012-13 season in a 62-44 victory over Defiance in the opening round of the Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic. They did it by forcing 29 turnovers, holding the Yellow Jackets to 38 percent shooting, and winning the rebounding battle 33-31.

Wittenberg snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 4-6 on the season, while Defiance saw its six-game winning streak snapped in falling to 6-4. It was the first time that the Tigers had topped 60 points in a game since a 63-47 win over Earlham on Nov. 28, and it provided much-needed momentum heading into Saturday's tournament title match-up opposite No. 2-ranked Mount Union, a 68-53 winner over Albion in the day's first game.

Both teams got off to a slow start before Wittenberg closed the first half on a 16-0 run, starting with two free throws by sophomore Karen Daniel-Hamberg (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview). Defense sparked the game-altering run as the Yellow Jackets committed eight turnovers over the final eight minutes of the first half.

At the other end of the floor, the Tigers executed offensively to the tune of 42 percent shooting from the field. Wittenberg held a commanding 11-2 advantage in fast break points and a 28-16 edge in points in the paint, led by Daniel-Hamberg's career-high 14 points. She hit 4-of-5 shots from the floor and added 6-of-8 shooting from the free throw line to go along with six rebounds, which also led the team.

Sophomore Enri Small (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus School for Girls) added 13 points, five rebounds and three steals, while junior Amber Rice (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) stuffed the stats sheet with six points, six steals and three rebounds and sophomore Katelyn Haralamos (Maineville, Ohio/Kings) also turned in a solid line of nine points, five rebounds and five assists.