Women’s Basketball rallies past Mount Union 58-57 in OAC opener 

By Bud Denega 

ADA — Through five games, Ohio Northern women's basketball head coach Michele Durand has learned a couple things about her team. The unbeaten Polar Bears are tough and have a team-first mentality. 

Those characteristics were on display Saturday inside the ONU Sports Center. Northern used a late fourth-quarter flurry to edge Mount Union 58-57 in its Ohio Athletic Conference opener. 

"We talk about being tougher than everybody else," Durand said. "I think we were gritty and connected. They played really well together, really connected and really good defense against Mount Union, which has a really good team."

Mount Union's Elena Rauhe connected on two free throws with 5:02 to play in the game, which gave her team its largest lead of 57-48. That Purple Raiders wouldn't score again.

ONU senior Abby Weeks (West Chester/Mount Notre Dame) made six from the charity stripe, and fellow senior Emily Mescher (Maria Stein/Marion Local) connected on a couple before sophomore Lexi Jacobs' (Wapakoneta) heroics. Jacobs pulled up from the elbow with 16 seconds to play, which vaulted the Polar Bears out in front.

"We just talked about getting stops," Durand said. "Mount Union helped us a little bit with a couple quick shots, which is good for us. We put Brynn Sebrin in defensively so we had both our point guards in, and that helped against their pressure."

A late flurry included turnovers from both sides. ONU senior Jaclyn Yankle (Youngstown/Cardinal Mooney) and freshman Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) were both awarded steals prior to the clock hitting zero. 

Weeks finished with a game-high 16 points to go alongside 10 rebounds. Mescher added 12 points and six boards, while Yankle chipped in nine points and five steals. 

The Polar Bears hit 37 percent (20 of 54) of their field-goal attempts and 29.2 percent (7 of 24) of their shots from 3-point land. The Purple Raiders connected on 35.1 percent (20 of 57) of their shots from the floor and 25.8 percent (8 of 31) from 3. Northern out-rebounded Mount Union 40-37.

The Purple Raiders held an 18-12 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Polar Bears pulled within one, 28-27, at the break. Mount Union built a 46-43 lead at the end of the third quarter. 

ONU is back in action Wednesday at Wilmington.