C.J. Napier's double-double leads Men's Basketball in tight 74-71 loss to No. 21 Heidelberg
By Tim Glon
ADA — Junior C.J. Napier (Miamisburg/Bishop Fenwick) had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Ohio Northern men's basketball team in a 74-71 loss to No. 21 Heidelberg Wednesday night at the ONU Sports Center.
The Polar Bears (7-7 overall, 1-6 Ohio Athletic Conference) also got 14 points from junior Adam Scott (Wapakoneta) and junior Landen Long (Mason) and 12 points from freshman Ethan Bell (Marion/River Valley).
Northern played with a full roster for the first time in a week after eight players, including four starters, were out due to COVID-19 protocols.
The Student Princes (12-2, 7-1) got 18 points from Dylan Woods and 14 points and 10 rebounds from Eric Panning.
Isaiah Young made a pair of free throws with 6.1 seconds left to put HU ahead 74-71 and a contested 3-pointer at the buzzer by senior Brandon Waugh (Columbus/Northland) was off-target.
Bell made a basket with 36 seconds left to get ONU within 72-71 and Northern got the ball back after Woods missed the front end of a one-and-one with 16 ticks left.
Waugh drove to the basket, but was called for charging with seven seconds to go.
Woods nailed a 3-pointer to give HU a 48-38 lead with 15:37 remaining, but ONU answered with a 14-3 run to take a 52-51 lead with 12:17 to go.
Neither team would lead by more than five points the rest of the way.
Ohio Northern finished the game shooting 28-of-57 from the floor for 49.1 percent and was 6-of-19 from 3-point range for 31.6 percent, while HU was 25-of-66 from the floor for 37.9 percent and hit 10-of-34 3-pointers for 29.4 percent.
Heidelberg won the rebounding battle 39-32.
The Polar Bears will return to action Saturday afternoon when they host No. 6 Marietta in the second game of a women's-men's double header at the ONU Sports Center.
