Junior Branden Rushton scored a game-high 22 points and sophomore Isaiah Roux added 13 points to lead Ohio Northern in a 67-56 men's basketball loss to No. 16-ranked Wooster Wednesday night at the ONU Sports Center.
The Polar Bears fall to 4-2 with the loss, while the Scots improve to 4-1.
Northern came out of the lockerroom cold in the second half, making just 1 of its first 10 shots as Wooster turned a 28-all tie into a 44-31 advantage with 11:26 left in the game.
Wooster's lead grew to as large as 52-37 with 6:43 remaining when the Polar Bears began to rally.
Rushton scored all nine of ONU's points in a 9-1 run to trim the deficit to 59-54 with 1:16 to play. But the Scots hit nine of 11 free throws in the final 1:09 to ice the game.
"We struggled to make shot in the second half, but I'm proud of the way we kept battling," ONU head coach Kevin Byrne said. "We got the lead down to five late and were getting some good looks at the basket, but they were just not going in. Wooster did a good job of getting to the foul line and making their free throws."
Jake Mays led four Wooster players in double figures in scoring with 17 points.
Northern was cold from the floor, making just 20 of 61 shots for 32.8 percent and was just 3 of 21 from 3-point range for 14.3 percent.
ONU made 13 of 17 free throws for 76.5 percent, but the Scots countered with a 30 of 37 effort from the foul line for 81.1 percent. The Scots were 18 of 41 on their field goal attempts for 43.9 percent and hot one of nine from three-point range for 11.1 percent.
Neither team led by more than four points in the first half. A 3-pointer by Roux with 1:09 left before intermission gave ONU a 26-25 advantage and the score was tied at 26-all at the half.
Wooster out-rebounded ONU 43-28, but committed 17 turnovers to just nine for ONU.
The Polar Bears will return to action Saturday with a 5 pm (EST) contest at North Park (Ill.)
