By Tim Glon, www.onusports.com
Ohio Northern got off to a quick start and pulled away late to win 62-46 at Otterbein in the quarterfinals of the OAC Women's Basketball Tournament on Tuesday, February 22, at the Rike Center.
The fifth-seeded Polar Bears (17-7) advance to the semifinals Thursday at top-seeded and No. 12-ranked John Carroll.
The fourth-seeded Cardinals end their season at 18-7.
Senior Lexi Jacobs (Wapakoneta) scored 15 points, senior Jaidyn Hale (Lima/Bath) added 14 points and junior Brynn Serbin (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) chipped in 10 points for ONU.
Otterbein was led by Angela Jackson with 10 points.
Northern scored the game's first eight points and Hale scored eight of her points in the first 20 minutes as ONU led 22-15 at halftime.
A Hale 3-pointer on Northern's first possession of the second half gave the visitors a 25-15 lead.
Senior Annie Weckesser (Chaminade-Julienne) nailed a three on ONU's first possession of the fourth period to increase the lead to 39-28.
Leading 47-39, senior Alissa Stahler (Lima/Shawnee) nailed a clutch turnaround jumper as the shot clock expired to give ONU a 49-39 lead and Weckesser knocked down four straight free throws to make it 53-40 with 50.2 seconds left.
Alexis Amabile banked in a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left to make it 53-43, but Hale answered with a free throw two seconds later to extend the lead to 54-43.
Angela Jackson hit a 3 from five feet beyond the arc and it was 54-46 with :43.0 left.
But Serbin, Hale, Stahler and Jacobs would combine to go 8-for-8 from the free throw line the rest of the way to ice the game.
"Our seniors made plays all night long," ONU head coach Mark Huelsman said. "Alissa was decisive on her late basket and Lexi was a big part of that by getting us into the right play late in the possession. We played hard all night. We were really good on defense and I think Brynn's defense was a difference-maker. I was proud of the way we shot free throws down the stretch. We are excited to get the win and advance to the semifinals."
Ohio Northern made 20-of-41 field goals for 48.8% and was 3-of-10 from 3-point range for 30.0%, while the Cardinals made 16-of-53 field goals for 30.2% and were 3-of-17 from beyond the arc for 17.6%.
ONU out-rebounded OU by a 32-31 margin.
