Emerson Gray scores career-high 22 points, but Women's Basketball falls 65-60 in overtime at Wittenberg
December 6, 2025
SPRINGFIELD — Sophomore Emerson Gray (Liberty Center) scored a career-high 22 points, but the Ohio Northern women's basketball team fell 65-60 in overtime at Wittenberg on Saturday afternoon.
The Basics
- Records: Ohio Northern (0-7 Overall), Wittenberg (5-2 Overall).
- Venue: Pam Evans Smith Arena — Springfield, Ohio.
The Game
- Sophomore Charlotte Pauling (Beavercreek) scored 10 points and had a team-high seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.
- Sophomore Katelyn Stechschulte (Findlay) and junior Gabi Croft (Spencerville) also had a team-best seven boards.
- Junior Lexee Brewer (Sidney) also had three steals and two assists for the Polar Bears.
- The Tigers were led by Madi Barnett with 23 points.
- Northern led 13-12 at the end of the first quarter.
- Junior Liv Mueller (Defiance/Tinora) hit a 3-pointer to end the first half, cutting Wittenberg's lead to 23-22 at halftime.
- Neither team led by more than four points in the first half.
- The Tigers started the third quarter with a 3-pointer, but the Polar Bears went on an 8-0 run to lead 30-25.
- Wittenberg answered with an 8-0 run of their own to take a 33-31 lead.
- Brewer made a jump shot to put ONU within one point, trailing 35-34 at the end of the third quarter.
- Pauling scored eight points in a row to give the Polar Bears a 47-42 lead with 4:03 left in regulation.
- Wittenberg made a 3-pointer to cut ONU's lead to one, making the score 53-52 with 20 seconds left.
- The Tigers hit another three to tie the game at 55 points with five seconds left to send the game into overtime.
- Wittenberg went on an 8-0 run to take a 63-57 lead with 30 seconds left in overtime.
- Ohio Northern made 25-of-60 field goals for 41.7 percent and was 3-of-12 from beyond the arc for 25.0 percent, while Wittenberg was 24-of-57 from the floor for 42.1 percent and finished 5-of-21 on 3-pointers for 23.8 percent.
- The Polar Bears made 7-of-13 free throws for 53.8 percent and the Tigers were 12-of-20 from the line for 60.0 percent.
- ONU out-rebounded WU 36-27.
Notables
- Ohio Northern is now 21-5 all-time against Wittenberg, including a 9-3 record in Springfield.
- Pauling leads the Polar Bears in scoring thus far this season at 11.7 ppg and Gray is second at 11.4 ppg.
- Gray leads the team in rebounding (5.3 rpg), assists (2.1 apg) and steals (1.7 spg).
- This is the 54th season of Ohio Northern women's basketball. The Polar Bears are now 778-522 all-time in program history for a winning percentage of .598.
- Sixth-year head coach Mark Huelsman is now 87-45 at Ohio Northern, a winning percentage of .659.
Up Next
- The Polar Bears return to action on Wednesday at Wilmington at 7 p.m. to begin OAC play.
