Men's Basketball has solid performance in 75-66 loss in exhibition game at NCAA Division I-foe Kent State

Kyle Meyer

By Tim Glon

| Box Score |

KENT -- Ohio Northern men's basketball team opened the John Rhodes era with an impressive performance in a 75-66 loss at at NCAA Division I foe Kent State in an exhibition contest Monday evening at KSU's Mac Center.

Senior All-Conference returners Kyle Meyer and Ezra Bradshaw both had fine games for the Polar Bears.

Meyer recorded a double-double with team-highs of 19 points and 11 rebounds and Bradshaw scored 16 points, 12 of which came in the first half. Sean Whitney added 10 points, Scott Schnelle had nine points and Matt Phillips had eight rebounds

Tyree Evans scored 24 points and Justin Greene added 16 for Kent.

"I was very pleased with what I saw tonight," ONU's first-year head coach John Rhodes said. "We played hard and with confidence. We had a few too many turnovers and left some points at the line. We felt like we could compete tonight and our guys bought into that. I like where I think we are right now."

Northern out-rebounded the bigger and more athletic Golden Flashes 39-37.

ONU was in the game early, as a pair of Whitney free throws got the Polar Bears within 30-27 with 4:57 left before intermission.

But the Flashes closed out the half on a 13-3 run to take a 43-30 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Kent then scored 10 of the second half's first 14 points to extend its lead to 53-34 with 15:25 left in the game and appeared to be on their way.

But a free throw by Meyer, a pair of free throws by Bradshaw and a pair of baskets by Meyer pulled the Polar Bears within 55-43 with 11:15 left in the contest.

A 3-pointer by Tyler Kuhlman and a three of four free throws by Schnelle pulled ONU within 60-49 with 9:01 left to play.

A Whitney layup made it 62-51 with 8:21 to go and a basket by Meyer at thee 7:45 mark pulled the Polar Bears within 62-53.

After KSU scored the next six points to extend its lead to 68-53, Northern answered with a 3-0 run of its own, capped by a layup by Schnelle, and it was 68-56 at the 3:43 mark.

After a three by Evans made it 71-56, a free throw by Meyer, a dunk by Schnelle and another layup by Schnelle got ONU within 71-61 with 2:42 remaining. Another free throw by Meyer made it 71-62 with 1:46 to play.

After a pair of KSU free throws made it 73-62, Taylor Kuhlman got fouled shooting a 3-pointer and made two of the free throws to pull ONU within 73-64 at the 1:15 mark.

Northern made good on 21 of 50 field goals for 42 percent, while KSU hit on 26 of 63 of its field goals for 41.3 percent.

The Polar Bears will open their 2009-10 season on Sunday, Nov. 15, with a 3 pm home contest against Hanover (Ind.) at the ONU Sports Center.