Serbin, Knippen, Dials score in double figures to lead #18 Women’s Basketball to 65-47 win over Muskingum

By Wes Mayberry

ADA — Seniors Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and Kasey Knippen (Ottoville) and sophomore Layla Dials (Willard) all scored in double figures to lead the 18th-ranked Ohio Northern women's basketball team to a 65-47 win over Muskingum on Saturday afternoon at the ONU Sports Center.

The Polar Bears improve to 14-1 overall and 8-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference while dropping the Muskies to 4-11, 1-7.

Serbin scored 14 points to lead ONU and added three rebounds, three assists and four steals to her final stat line.

Dials came off the bench and finished with 12 points, and Knippen added 10 points, three rebounds and four steals.

Junior Kristen Luersman (Fort Jennings) chipped in nine points and 10 rebounds, and sophomore Brooke Allen (Woodville/Woodmore) added eight points and 11 rebounds for ONU.

Claudia Harrington led Muskingum with 14 points, and Anna Lippiatt finished with 13 points.

The Polar Bears scored the first five points of the game, but the Muskies remained within striking distance throughout the first three quarters.

Northern led 13-10 at the end of the first quarter and 29-25 at halftime

The four-point halftime edge was aided in large part from eight second-quarter points from Knippen, who was 2-for-2 from 3-point range in the period.

The Polar Bears extended their lead to eight, 40-32, on a 3-pointer from freshman Mackenzie Suprano (Cutler/Waterford) with 3:46 left in the third quarter.

A layup from Serbin put ONU up by nine, 44-35, late in the period, but MU's Caitlyn DeMassimo answered with a layup at the buzzer to send the Muskies into the fourth quarter trailing 44-37.

A 3-pointer from Taylor DeMassimo capped a 6-1 MU run to open the fourth quarter as the Muskies got back within two, 45-43, but that was as close as they would come.

Northern closed the game on a 20-4 run over the final 7:47 for the 18-point victory.

Ohio Northern made 24-of-59 field goals for 40.7% and was 9-of-19 from 3-point range for 47.4%, while MU made 17-of-56 field goals for 30.4% and was 8-of-30 from beyond the arc for 26.7%.

ONU was 8-of-12 from the free-throw line for 66.7%, and Muskingum was 5-of-6 for 83.3%.

Northern out-rebounded Muskingum by a 43-32 margin.

Now riding an 11-game win streak, the Polar Bears return to action on Wednesday when they host OAC foe Heidelberg at 7 p.m.