ADA, Ohio - The Wilmington College women's basketball team rallied from an early eight-point deficit to take a lead late in the third quarter, but Ohio Northern University ended the third quarter and started the fourth quarter strong to earn a 59-41 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) win on Wednesday evening.
The Fightin' Quakers started cold from the field, missing their first nine shots from the field. During that time, the Polar Bears built an 8-0 lead forcing an early Wilmington timeout. Cassidy Lovett broke the scoreless drought to open the game with a layup on an offensive putback with 4:17 to play. About 90 seconds later, Emma Wright found Brooke Davis for a layup, but that would be the last points of the period as ONU led 10-4 after one quarter.
The start of second quarter was the exact opposite of the first as it was Wilmington who scored the first seven points that spurred a 12-4 run capped by a triple from Brooke Davis and layup from Kennedy Lewis. ONU tied it 16-16 on the next possession, however, and slowed the pace down in the final five minutes of the quarter. There were just three field goals made between the two teams combined with two triples from the Polar Bears one from Kelis Jones.
ONU scored the first four points of the third quarter to build a 25-19 advantage, but Wilmington countered with a 10-2 run over five minutes capped by a Lovett steal and Emma Wright layup to put the visitors up a deuce. The hosts, trailing 29-27, ended the third quarter on a 13-3 run and scored 10 of the first 12 points of the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Both teams struggled shooting from the field with ONU making five more field goals and two more triples. Both squads also missed just two free throws, but the Polars Bears made six more and held a distinctive 47-22 edge in rebounding.
Kristen Luersman led all scorers with 16 points and 15 rebounds while Alissa Stahler and Annie Weckesser also scored in double figures for the Polar Bears.
Emma Wright led Wilmington with eight points in 23 minutes off the bench. Lewis added seven points with five rebounds and three assists while Lovett and Jones each had six points.
Wilmington returns home to face Heidelberg University on Saturday. Tip-off from Fred Raizk Arena is scheduled for 2 p.m.
