Markle's hot-shooting leads Northern past Ohio Wesleyan 72-55

Dec. 12, 2007

By Gary Petit

ADA — Senior Jenny Markle continued her hot shooting, making all six of her three-point attempts to lead the Ohio Northern women's basketball team to a 72-55 victory over NCAC-foe Ohio Wesleyan on Wednesday at the ONU Sports Center.

Markle finished with a game-high 18 points, her highest output of the season.

Fellow seniors Erin Brand and Leah Zimmerman also scored in double-figures for the Polar Bears, now 6-2 overall. Brand scored 17 points and snagged 5 rebounds while Zimmerman chipped in with 11 points and a career-high five assists.

Junior Alisha Rinehart also added 13 points and a season-high 5 boards for the Lady Bears.

The Bishops (5-3), were lead by seniors Steffi Graf with 16 points and Lindsey Macklin with 14 points.

A three-pointer by Laurel Lawson and a jumper and a free throw by Graf gave the Bishops an early 6-0.

Markle's first three of the game sparked an 11-1 run by ONU to take an 11-7 lead with 14:36 to play in the first half. Rinehart knocked down a three-pointer and four free throws during the spurt.

Northern took its biggest lead of the first half at 23-17 on a jumper by Tricia Fuller and would head into the locker room with a 36-33 advantage. Markle was 4-for-4 from long range at the break.

The Polar Bears came out of the locker room and built an eight-point lead at 46-38 with some good interior passing. Brand received the ball on the block and hit a cutting Zimmerman for the lay-in with 15:21 to play.

A Graf three-pointer cut the Northern lead to four at 49-45 but three-pointers by Markle and Emily Culbertson pushed the lead back to 10 with 9:38 left in the contest.

Wesleyan wouldn't get any closer than eight points down the stretch as Northern scored 13 of the game's final 17 points to seal the 72-55 victory.

The Polar Bear defense forced 27 turnovers and held the Bishops to just 23 percent (5-of-21) from beyond the arc. Northern made 9-of-12 three-point attempts and shot 53 percent (25-of-47) overall.

The Polar Bears will get back into OAC-play this Saturday as they will host John Carroll at 3 pm in the ONU Sports Center.