Serbin scores 21, Luersman hits big 3-pointer to send No. 13 Women’s Basketball to 69-65 comeback win at Capital

By Wes Mayberry

COLUMBUS — A late 3-pointer from junior Kristen Luersman (Fort Jennings) helped the No. 13 Ohio Northern women's basketball team overcome a 14-point, third-quarter deficit for a 69-65 win over Capital on Saturday afternoon at the Capital Center.

The Polar Bears improve to 19-2 overall and 13-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference while dropping the Comets to 12-9, 6-8.

Senior Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) led ONU with 21 points to go with five rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Sophomores Brooke Allen (Woodville/Woodmore) and Abby Dickson (Germantown/Valley View) finished with 10 points each, and senior Kasey Knippen (Ottoville) added nine points for Northern.

Bri O'Connor led four Comets in double figures with 21 points.

Capital, which set a program record by making 13 3-pointers in Saturday's game, was 8-of-14 from beyond the arc in the first half and built leads of 17-12 at the end of the first quarter and 42-29 at halftime.

A 3-pointer from O'Connor gave CU its largest lead of the game at 14 points, 46-32, with 7:28 left in the third quarter.

After ONU had cut its deficit to five, the Comets responded with back-to-back triples from Demi Brewer and Laney Murphy to return the lead to double digits with just under a minute to play in the third period.

Capital took that 54-41 edge into the fourth quarter but was outscored 28-11 over the final 10 minutes.

ONU opened the final period with a 9-1 run courtesy of four points from Allen, a 3-pointer from Dickson and a pair of free throws from Serbin to get within five, 55-50, with 6:56 left.

But Capital continued its hot shooting from beyond the arc, getting back-to-back triples from Jenna Horsley to extend the lead to 61-50.

The Polar Bears had one final run left in them, though, going on a 17-4 spurt capped by a four-point play from Serbin and the 3-pointer from Luersman that put ONU up 67-65 with 30 seconds remaining.

Murphy missed a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left, but the Comets came up with the offensive rebound to retain possession.

After a CU timeout, Serbin blocked a 3-point shot from Brewer, but the loose ball found its way to O'Connor, whose shot fell off the mark with two seconds left.

Dickson subsequently drained a pair of free throws at the other end of the floor to seal the victory for the Polar Bears and preserve their spot atop the conference standings.

Ohio Northern made 23-of-49 field goals for 46.9% and was 10-of-29 from 3-point range for 34.5%, while Capital made 23-of-57 field goals for 40.4% and was 13-of-29 from beyond the arc for 44.8%.

ONU was 13-of-19 from the free-throw line for 68.4%, and CU was 6-of-16 for 37.5%.

Ohio Northern out-rebounded Capital by a 31-30 margin and had 21 bench points to CU's six.

The Polar Bears return to action on Wednesday for an OAC matchup at No. 14 Baldwin Wallace at 7 p.m.