Men's Basketball gets career-highs in scoring from Bryan, Bachman in 84-77 loss at Hope (Mich.)

By Tim Glon

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich —The Ohio Northern men's basketball team got career-highs of 12 points each from junior Caleb Bryan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour) and sophomore Colton Bachman (Piqua), but dropped an 84-77 decision at Hope (Mich.) on Tuesday evening at DeVos Fieldhouse.

The Polar Bears (2-1 overall) also got 26 points from senior All-American Ryan Bruns (Chickasaw/Marion Local) in the contest.

For the second time in three games this season the Flying Dutchmen (2-1) were led by Jason Beckman with 33 points. 

Northern trailed 22-16 midway through the first half, but answered with a 12-3 run to go up 28-25 with 5:51 left in the first period.

The Flying Dutchmen closed out the half on a 19-11 run to take a 44-39 lead into intermission.

After Hope pushed its lead to 10, ONU went on an 8-0 run to pull within 58-56 with 11:38 left in the game.

Bruns scored on a baby hook to pull Northern within 77-75 with 2:29 to go and a layup by Bryan made it 79-77 with :58.7 remaining.

Beckman got a 3-point play with :32.3 to go to extend the HC lead to 82-77 and made two more free throws with :11.7 to go to make it 84-77.

Ohio Northern made 33-of-63 field goals for 52.4 percent and were 6-of-24 from 3-point range for 25.0 percent, while Hope was 28-of-56 from the floor for 50.0 percent and was 6-of-14 from three for 42.9 percent.

The biggest difference came at the foul line, where HC made 22-of-25 free throws to just 5-of-9 for ONU.

Northern won the rebounding battle by a 33-30 margin behind eight boards from senior Daniel Donner (Belleville/Northmoor).

The Polar Bears will return to action on Sunday with a 2 pm contest against No. 21-ranked Wooster at the ONU Sports Center.