Women's Basketball edges Adrian (Mich.) 87-80 in overtime thriller
By Tim Glon
ADRIAN, Mich. — Senior Jordan Kimes had her first double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead Ohio Northern to an 87-80 overtime women's basketball victory at Adrian (Mich.) Saturday afternoon at the Merrillat Sport & Fitness Center.
The Polar Bears improve to 3-1 on the season, while the Bulldogs fall to 1-3.
ONU had four players in double figures in scoring, led by Kimes with 21. Sophomore Britt Lauck scored 16 points and junior Carly Thomas and freshman Amy Bullimore added 11 points each for ONU.
AC was led by Brigitte Zavithsanos with a game-high 23 points and Marissa Cotton with 16 points.
Lauck hit a pair of pressure-packed free throws with three seconds left in the game to tie it at 72-all and send the game into overtime.
In the extra period, ONU made all three of its field goal attempts and was 9-of-12 from the foul line to close out the contest with the victory.
Bullimore snapped a 74-74 tie with a layup with 3:54 left in the period, then Lauck scored inside to make it 78-74 with 2:35 to go.
Two more Bullimore free throws at the 2:57 mark put ONU up 80-76.
Thomas made one of two free throws with 2:33 to go and Kimes scored with 54 seconds left to put ONU ahead 83-78.
The Polar Bears jumped out to a big early, leading 28-10 with 6:48 left in the first half.
The lead was 37-23 at intermission.
Adrian scored the first 11 points of the second half to pull within 37-34 and took its first lead of the game at 51-50 with 9:26 to play.
Northern went on an 8-0 run to go up 63-58, but AC rallied to take a 71-70 lead with 53 seconds to play on a pair of free throws by Cottom.
Cottom made one of two free throws with 22 seconds left to go up 72-70, setting up Lauck's heroics in the final seconds.
The Polar Bears made 27-of-54 field goal attempts for 50-.0 percent, while the Bulldogs made 28-of-74 field goals for 37.8 percent.
ONU out-rebounded AC 45-35.
The Polar Bears will return home on Tuesday to host Defiance in the first game of a women's/men's double header at 5:30 pm at the ONU Sports Center.