Emerson Gray scores career-high 23 points, but Women's Basketball falls 64-55 at Marietta
January 17, 2026
ADA — Sophomore Emerson Gray (Liberty Center) scored a career-high 23 points, but the Ohio Northern women's basketball team fell 64-55 to Marietta on Saturday afternoon.
The Basics
- Records: Ohio Northern (5-11 Overall, 4-3 OAC), Marietta (9-7 Overall, 4-3 OAC).
- Venue: ONU Sports Center — Ada, Ohio.
The Game
- Gray also had a team-high eight rebounds and two assists and was a perfect 2-for-2 on three-pointers.
- Sophomore Logan Phillips (Troy/Miami East) added seven points and had a team-best five steals, two blocks and two assists.
- Junior Gabi Croft (Spencerville) also added seven points and six boards.
- Junior Lexee Brewer (Sidney) had six points and two assists.
- Marietta got out to a quick 5-0 lead, but ONU went on a 7-0 run, including four points from Gray and a 3-pointer from Croft.
- The Pioneers led 14-9 after the first quarter.
- Northern scored four quick points in the second quarter to cut Marietta's lead to one.
- A three from Phillips tied up the game at 21 with 3:56 left in the half.
- Marietta led 25-24 at halftime.
- Two free throws from sophomore Charlotte Pauling (Beavercreek) gave ONU the lead to start the third quarter, 26-25.
- The third quarter included eight lead changes and five ties, but MC led 42-38 going into the fourth quarter.
- The Pioneers started the fourth on a 5-0 run, but a pull-up jumper from Phillips cut Marietta's lead to five.
- The Pioneers then went on a 10-0 run to keep the lead, leading 57-42 with 2:57 left in the game.
- Ohio Northern made 20-of-59 field goals for 33.9 percent and was 4-of-21 from beyond the arc for 19.0 percent, while Marietta was 23-of-57 from the floor for 40.4 percent and finished 4-of-13 on 3-pointers for 30.8 percent.
- The Polar Bears made 11-of-13 free throws for 84.6 percent and the Pioneers were 14-of-22 from the line for 63.6 percent.
- Each team had 37 rebounds.
Notables
- Ohio Northern is now 66-23 all-time against Marietta, including a 26-17 record in Marietta.
- Gray leads the Polar Bears in scoring (13.7 ppg), rebounding (5.4 rpg) and steals (30) and is second in assists (32) this season.
- Pauling is second on the team in scoring at 10.9 ppg and rebounding at 4.7 rpg.
- Brewer leads the team in assists (34) and steals (30).
- Junior Courtney Sumner (Ada) is third in scoring with 7.4 ppg.
- This is the 54th season of Ohio Northern women's basketball. The Polar Bears are now 783-526 all-time in program history for a winning percentage of .599.
- Sixth-year head coach Mark Huelsman is now 92-49 at Ohio Northern, a winning percentage of .652.
Up Next
- The Polar Bears return to action on Wednesday when they host No. 15-ranked Baldwin Wallace at the ONU Sports Center.
