BEREA, Ohio – The No. 12 nationally-ranked Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team extended its win streak to five games as it earned a 59-42 Ohio Athletic Conference victory against Ohio Northern University in Ursprung Gymnasium.
BW (13-1, 7-0 OAC) was able to avenge its 2019 OAC Tournament loss by beating the team that handed it to them just ten months ago. With the win, BW improved to a 41-37 record in its all-time series versus Ohio Northern (10-4, 4-3 OAC), and remained undefeated in conference play with its seventh straight victory against an OAC opponent. The Yellow Jackets also secured their best 14-game start to a season since 2007-08, where they also began the season with a 13-1 record.
BW was led by two scorers in double figures. Sophomore forward Megan Scheibelhut (Avon Lake/Elyria Catholic) was a strong presence inside, pouring in a season-high 10 points to go along with five rebounds and one block. Junior guard Gabby Garrett (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) was a key contributor off the bench, adding 10 points, two assists, and one block in the victory.
The Polar Bears' offense was spearheaded by sophomore guard Lexi Jacobs and senior center Emily Mescher. Jacobs was able to score a game-high 14 points, while Mescher garnered 11 points and a team-high six rebounds in the defeat.
BW jumped out to an early lead, outscoring Ohio Northern 8-1 in the first three minutes of the game. The Polar Bears would not be discouraged, as they clawed out of the early hole, and narrowed the gap to just two points at the end of the first quarter. Scheibelhut was a key component for BW in the first frame, tying her season-high with eight points in just five minutes of play. The second quarter began much like the first, with BW ceasing a 10-3 run to begin the period. The Yellow Jackets stepped up their defense in the second quarter, holding Ohio Northern to a season quarter-low five points and a mere 13.3 percent shooting. BW's strong defensive performance was even capped off by a buzzer-beating Riley Schill (Sheffield Village/Elyria Catholic) floater to end the first half, increasing its lead to 14 points headed to the break.
The third quarter showcased a relatively even affair between both squads, as they consistently exchanged baskets in the according ten minutes of play. Despite the back-and-forth action, the Polar Bears remained within striking distance and eager to bring the deficit within single digits. The resilient Yellow Jackets were able to use a 10-0 run roughly halfway through the final quarter to dwindle any of hopes of a comeback, and secure the home victory.
The Yellow Jackets will return to the court on Saturday, January 18 when they travel to Wilmington for an OAC matchup against Wilmington College at 3:00 p.m.
