No. 20 Women's Basketball opens OAC play with 65-57 victory at Capital

By Tim Glon

BEXLEY — Junior Lindsey Black (Urbana/Graham) scored a game-high 14 points off the bench to lead the No. 20-ranked Ohio Northern women's basketball team to a 65-57 victory in the Ohio Athletic Conference opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at the Capital Center.

The Polar Bears remain undefeated on the season at 6-0 overall and are 1-0 in OAC play, while the Crusaders fall to 3-2, 0-1.

Senior Amy Bullimore (Morrow/Little Miami) scored 12 points, senior Britt Lauck (Lima/Shawnee) added 11 points and sophomore Jenna Dirksen (Beavercreek/Carroll) chipped in 10 points for ONU.

Capital was led by Erin Risner with 11 points.

Northern scored the first seven points of the game did not trail in the game.

Two free throws by senior Anglea Tesny (Medina) gave ONU a 22-7 lead with 1:36 left in the first quarter.

The Polar Bears got a pair of free throws from freshman Abby Weeks (Cincinnati/Mount Notre Dame) to take their largest lead of the game at 30-14 with 6:35 left in the half.

But CU would score the final seven points of the period to pull within 34-27 by intermission.

The lead would range from five to 12 points in the third period and ONU took a 50-40 lead after three periods.

A 17-4 run pulled the Crusaders within 59-57 with 2:03 left in the game.

Bullimore got an offensive rebound and scored a put-back with 54 seconds left to increase the lead to 61-57 and Dirksen made four consecutive free throws in the final 20 seconds to put the game away.

ONU made 23-of-55 field goals for 41.8 percent and was 6-of-19 from beyond the 3-point arc for 31.6 percent, while CU made 20-of-57 of its field goal attempts for 35.1 percent and was 4-of-23 from 3-point range for 17.4 percent.

Northern out-rebounded Capital 40-31 behind seven boards from Dirksen.

The Polar Bears will return home on Wednesday for a 7:30 pm contest with Wilmington at the ONU Sports Center.