By Tim Glon
ADA — Senior Joey Hurless (Van Wert) became Ohio Northern's all-time career assist leader on Wednesdaynight, leading the ONU men's basketball team to an 86-77 victory over visiting Baldwin Wallace at the ONU Sports Center.
The Polar Bears (7-7 overall, 5-2 Ohio Athletic Conference) stayed in a tie for first place in the OAC with the win.
The Yellow Jackets fall to 7-7, 2-5.
Hurless had seven assists in the game and now has 418 in his 90-game career. He passed the previous record of 414, held for 40 years by Charlie Just, who accomplished the feat from 1973-76.
"Joey has been a special player for us for four years," ONU head coach Rich Bensman said. "He can guard very well, too. Obviously he does a great job of seeing the floor and getting the ball to the right guy at the right time. I'm very happy for him to break the record."
"I've always been a pass-first guy," Hurless said. "I've got the easiest job on the floor - all I have to do is pass the ball. My teammates have the tough job of putting the ball in the basket. It means a lot to me to break the record. There have been many, many very good players here."
Junior Joey DiOrio (Columbus/Watterson) had a season-high 20 points, junior Nate Burger (Dayton/Alter) added 17 points, senior Aron Thress (Lancaster/Amanda-Clearcreek) scored 14 points, sophomore Ryan Bruns (Chickasaw/Marion Local) added 12 points and senior Konnor Baker (Ada) chipped in 10 points for Ohio Northern.
BWU was led by Cam Kuh with 22 points.
The Polar Bears led for much of the game, racing to a 21-10 lead just five minutes into the contest.
That lead grew to 29-16 after a basket by Thress with 10:13 left in the half.
But the Baldwin Wallace defense would stiffen and the guests would take a brief 39-37 lead just before halftime.
Bruns and Hurless scored baskets in the final minute as ONU grabbed a 43-41 lead at intermission.
Northern did not trail in the second half, but the game was tied at 66-all with 8:32 to go.
Senior Devon Allen (Lima/Senior) drilled a 3 with 7:41 to go and Burger followed with a basket and it was 71-66 with 6:546 remaining.
ONU led 79-77 with two minutes to play and ended the game on a 7-0 run to ice the victory.
"When we share the ball we get good shots and shoot the ball well," Bensman said. "When we play as a team and share the ball we can be pretty good. We attacked BW's zone much better in the second half and had some success."
Ohio Northern made 29-of-59 field goal attempts for 49.2 percent and were 9-of-22 from 3-point range for 40.9 percent.
Baldwin Wallace was 29-of-65 from the floor for 44.6 percent and was 8-of-24 from beyond the arc for 33.3 percent.
ONU out-rebounded BWU 39-29.
The Polar Bears will return to action on Saturday with a 2 pm contest at Muskingum.
