Luersman scores career-high 22 points to lead Women’s Basketball to 84-67 win at Anderson (Ind.)

By Wes Mayberry

ANDERSON, Ind. — Junior Kristen Luersman (Fort Jennings) scored a career-high 22 points to lead the Ohio Northern women's basketball team to an 84-67 win over Anderson (Ind.) on Wednesday night at O.C. Lewis Gymnasium.

The Polar Bears improve to 3-0 overall while dropping the Ravens to 1-2.

Luersman surpassed her previous career-high point total of 15 in the first half of Wednesday's game, as she entered halftime with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range. She added 10 rebounds to her stat line for the night.

Sophomore Brooke Allen (Woodville/Woodmore) also notched a career-high point total with 14 on the night.

Senior Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) added 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. She now has 174 career assists, which is tied for 19th all-time at ONU.

Senior Kasey Knippen (Ottoville) and freshman Mackenzie Suprano (Cutler/Waterford) added nine points each to go with eight from junior Grace Dean (Avon/Lake) and seven from sophomore Abi Akamine (Lahaina, Hawaii/Lahainaluna).

Jade Shipley and Lauren Smith led the Ravens with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Defensively, the Polar Bears held AU's Lexi Dellinger to eight points. Dellinger was coming off a 40-point game against Brevard (N.C.) en route to being named to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week.

The Polar Bears put together an impressive first quarter Wednesday, playing well on both ends of the floor to open the game on a 20-0 run. Luersman contributed 12 points during that stretch, which also included 3-pointers from Knippen and Serbin and a layup from Akamine.

The Ravens got on the scoreboard with a 3-pointer from Grace Marshall with 3:07 left in the first quarter.

The strong play by the Polar Bears carried over into the second quarter. ONU entered the period leading 28-6 and didn't allow the Ravens to add to their point total for nearly five minutes.

Led by seven second-quarter points from Luersman, Northern took a 43-20 edge into halftime.

The Ravens found a little offensive momentum in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 14, 60-46, with 1:21 remaining. But the Polar Bears took a 64-46 edge into the final period en route to the 17-point victory.

Ohio Northern made 33-of-69 field goals for 47.8% and was 4-of-12 from 3-point range for 33.3%, while AU made 20-of-69 field goals for 29% and was 14-of-44 from beyond the arc for 31.8%.

ONU was 14-of-15 from the free-throw line for 93.3%, and Anderson was 13-of-21 for 61.9%.

The Polar Bears tallied 24 assists in the game and out-rebounded the Ravens by a 54-33 margin.

Northern returns to action on Tuesday for its home opener against Ohio Wesleyan at 2 p.m.