Women's Basketball advances to OAC Tournament Finals for third consecutive season after 55-42 victory over Otterbein

Women's Basketball advances to OAC Tournament Finals for third consecutive season after 55-42 victory over Otterbein
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February 27, 2025

ADA — Fifth-year senior Kristen Luersman and senior Brooke Allen (Woodville/Woodmore) combined for 27 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Ohio Northern women's basketball team to a 55-42 victory over Otterbein in the Semifinals of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament on Thursday night.

| OAC Tournament site |

The Basics

  • Records: Ohio Northern (19-7 Overall), Otterbein (13-14 Overall).
  • Venue: ONU Sports Center - Ada, Ohio.

The Game

  • Luersman posted her third double-double of the year and the 15th of her career with 14 points and 12 rebounds to go with three assists and a blocked shot.
    Allen scored a team-high 14 points with five rebounds.
  • Sophomore Chloee Glenn (Glandorf/Ottawa-Glandorf) chipped in 10 points.
  • The Cardinals were led by Kathleen DeCarlo with 15 points.
  • Northern went on an 11-0 run over a span of 5:03 at the end of the second quarter and the beginning of the third period to grab a 29-16 lead with 8:13 left in the third.
  • OU pulled to within six points on two separate occasions, the last at 37-31 with 9:21 left in the game.
  • But Luersman nailed a 3-pointer at 7:10 and Glenn hit two free throws to extend the lead to 42-31 with 6:29 remaining.
  • Senior Abby Dickson (Germantown/Valley View) nailed a three with 4:09 left to put ONU up 47-36 and Allen followed with a basket inside to make it 49-36 with 3:33 to go.
  • ONU outscored OU 34-12 in points in the paint.
  • Ohio Northern made 20-of-53 field goals for 37.7 percent and was 2-of-16 from beyond the arc for 12.5 percent, while Otterbein was 15-of-51 from the floor for 29.4 percent and finished 2-of-14 on 3-pointers for 14.3 percent.
  • The Polar Bears made 13-of-17 free throws for 76.5 percent and the Cardinals were 10-of-12 from the line for 83.3 percent.
  • ONU out-rebounded OU 43-28.

Notables

  • ONU is the No. 2 seed, Otterbein is the No. 6 seed.
  • Ohio Northern will be making its third consecutive OAC Tournament Finals appearance.
  • ONU has won the past two OAC Tournament titles and has 7 OAC Tournament championships in program history.
  • Otterbein advanced to the semifinals with a 71-59 victory at No. 3 seed John Carroll on Tuesday night.
  • The Polar Bears clinched a first round bye in the 6-team OAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed by finishing second in the OAC Regular Season standings with a 14-4 record.
  • Ohio Northern is now 64-36 all-time against Otterbein, including a 37-16 mark in Ada and a 12-1 record in OAC Tournament play.
  • Luersman is now 7th in ONU history with 684 career rebounds. She also has scored 839 points in 102 career games.
  • Allen ranks second in the OAC in field goal percentage at 55.5 percent.
  • This is the 53rd season of Ohio Northern women's basketball. The Polar Bears are now 778-515 all-time in program history for a winning percentage of .602.
  • Fifth-year head coach Mark Huelsman is now 87-38 at Ohio Northern, a winning percentage of .696.

Up Next

  • The Polar Bears return to action on Saturday in the OAC Tournament Finals at top-seeded and No. 7-ranked Baldwin Wallace at 1 pm.