BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University men's basketball team evened the season series with Ohio Northern University after an 80-67 victory in the Lou Higgins Center, inside Ursprung Gymnasium.
BW (12-8 overall, 8-5 Ohio Athletic Conference) was led by senior forward Drew Sova (Chagrin Falls/Kenston), who secured his eighth career double-double performance. The senior scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Freshman guard Anthony Mazzeo (North Canton/Massillon Jackson) poured in 15 points off six-of-seven shooting, while junior guard Matt Dimitrijevs (Broadview Heights/Brecksville Broadview Heights) contributed 12 off 4-of-9 from long range. Junior guard Luke Schaefer (Medina) recorded 10 points and snagged five boards.
Ohio Northern (6-14 overall, 2-11 OAC) was led by freshman forward C.J Napier, who scored a game-high 19 points. Junior forward Thomas Phillips chipped in 15 while senior forward Caleb Bryan and sophomore guard Brandon Waugh each tallied 10.
BW improves to 51-67 in the all-time series with Ohio Northern and are victorious in three of their last four meetings. The Yellow Jackets improve to 8-2 at home this season and are winners of four of their last six contests.
The Polar Bears established a 24-13 lead in the first eight minutes. Dimitrijevs supplied a spark off the bench with three consecutive threes, cutting the lead to 26-22, which led to an Ohio Northern timeout at the ten minute mark. The Polar Bears answered with a 14-4 run to extend their lead to 40-26 with seven minutes left in the first half. The Yellow Jackets closed the second half on a 13-4 spurt, capped off with a fast break, spinning layup from Sova, bringing the score to 44-39 at the break.
BW started the second half with back-to-back threes to take a 45-44 lead, it's first of the game. The Yellow Jackets extended that lead to 67-54 with a 22-10 run, which led to a Polar Bears timeout at the 8:30 mark. Ohio Northern cut the lead to 73-64 with a 10-6 run, before calling a timeout with 4:09 left in regulation. BW closed the game out with a 7-3 run to secure the 80-67 victory.
The Yellow Jackets embark on a four-game road trip starting with Wilmington College on Saturday February, 8. On Wednesday February, 12 they travel University Heights for a contest against John Carroll University and on Friday February 14, they play Capital University in Bexley, Ohio. BW wraps up the road schedule with a contest against No. 14 University of Mount Union on Wednesday February 19.
