The Ohio Northern men's basketball team notched an Ohio Athletic Conference victory over Muskingum on Saturday afternoon, winning 72-66 inside the ONU Sports Center.
ONU improves to 5-8 overall and 1-5 in the OAC while MU drops to 7-6 overall and 2-4 in the OAC.
Sophomore Brandon Waugh (Columbus/Northland) netted 17 points, including a clutch fadeaway jumper plus the foul to extend the ONU lead to 69-64 with 51 seconds remaining.
Freshman Landen Long (Mason) also scored 17 points for the Polar Bears.
Senior Austin Allemeier (Elida) put in 11 points while containing the country's second-leading scorer, Marcus Dempsey. Allemeier held Dempsey to just one shot attempt in the final 5:07.
Northern was hot from the tip-off, opening on an 8-0 run before gaining its largest lead of the afternoon on a free throw by freshman Adam Scott (Wapakoneta), 27-14 with 9:11 to go in the first half.
Women’s game
NEW CONCORD — The Ohio Northern women's basketball team—led by a career-high 16 points, seven rebounds, and four steals from senior Abby Weeks (West Chester/Mount Notre Dame)—wiped away a 10-point third-quarter deficit to lead by five in the fourth quarter, but ultimately fell 58-55 to Muskingum on a 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining at Performance Court Saturday afternoon.
The Polar Bears (10-3 overall, 4-2 OAC), trailing 58-55 with 2.1 seconds left, advanced the ball via a timeout. Weeks found junior Emily Brock (Akron/Revere) for a 3-point attempt, but the shot didn't go.
Sophomore Lexi Jacobs (Wapakoneta) added nine points for ONU, which also got eight points and six rebounds from junior Sydney Ward (Columbus/Upper Arlington).
Olivia Lang scored 11 points and hit the game-winner for the Muskies (3-8 overall, 1-5 OAC).
Muskingum raced to a 21-14 lead after 10 minutes of action.
Freshman Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) knocked down a 3-pointer late in the second quarter to cut the MU advantage to 36-30 at the half.
The Muskies led 44-34 with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter.
Northern responded with a 20-5 run, sparked by a Brock 3-pointer and capped by a Ward layup, to lead 54-49 with 5:18 to go in regulation.
The game was scoreless for the next 92 seconds before an MU bucket.
Sophomore Kate Iliff (Lorain/Amherst Steele) split a pair at line to give ONU a 55-51 edge with 1:29 left.
Muskingum netted a lay-up and two free throws to tie the game 35 seconds before the final buzzer.
Finally, the Polar Bears turned the ball over with 11 seconds remaining, the Muskies nailed a 3-pointer, and ONU could not convert a potential game-tying 3-pointer to close the contest.
Ohio Northern was 23-for-63 (36.5%) from the floor and 5-for-25 (20.0%) on 3-pointers. Muskingum was 21-for-51 (41.2%) shooting and 10-for-25 (40.0%) from 3-point range.
The Polar Bears travel to Berea Wednesday for a 7 p.m. showdown with No. 14-ranked and OAC-leading Baldwin Wallace.
The Muskies rallied to cut the lead to 29-26, but ONU closed the half on a quick 7-3 run to lead 36-29 at the break.
Muskingum took a 41-39 lead three minutes into the second half. The teams exchanged leads before Long made a pair of free throws with 12:34 left, giving ONU a 51-50 edge.
The Polar Bears led the rest of the way, keyed by Waugh's and-one jumper with 51 seconds to go to lift Northern to a five-point lead. Northern converted 3-of-5 free throws down the stretch to ice the game
ONU was 25-for-59 (42.4%) from the field and 9-for-25 (36.0%) from 3-point land. MU went 26-for-64 (40.6%) from the floor and 7-for-30 (23.3%) from distance
Ohio Northern will host Baldwin Wallace on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
