Schnelle scores a career-high 22, K.Meyer adds 24 as Men's Basketball sqeaks past Heidelberg in OT thriller

Scott Schnelle

By Patrick Massara

| Box Score |

ADA — The Ohio Northern men’s basketball team had five players score in double figures Saturday afternoon as they held on to a 92-87 overtime victory against Ohio Athletic Conference opponent Heidelberg at the ONU Sports Center.

The Polar Bears better their record to 10-9 overall and 8-4 in the conference while the Student Princes move to 12-7 overall and 8-4 in the OAC.

ONU was efficient with play down low as senior Kyle Meyer led ONU with a team-high 24 points and game-high seven rebounds while fellow sophomore post Scott Schnelle posted a career-high 22 points and six rebounds in the victory.

Despite trailing 71-67 with two minutes left in regulation, Heidelberg forced overtime by going on a 5-0 run, capped off by a Josh Calver 3-pointer with 29 seconds left.

Calver scored a game-high 26 points while going 10-of-12 from the free-throw line and 4-of-6 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Meyer gave the Polar Bears a 73-71 lead in overtime with 4:14 remaining by way of a jump shot in the paint and ONU never gave up the lead again.

Despite HU draining three treys in the final 30 seconds of overtime, Ohio Northern went 9-of-10 from the free throw line in that stretch to secure the win.

“They are a well coached team,” ONU head coach John Rhodes said, “and if you let their pressure get to you, you will end up on the other side of the win column. They are solid and this was a big win today.”

With 16:56 left in the first half, Meyer tipped a loose ball in to give the Polar Bears an early 7-2 advantage.

Meyer tipped in yet another basket at the 8:18 mark in the first half to provide his team with its largest lead in the half, up 26-18.

Senior center Matt Greives hit a jumper in the paint with 37 seconds left in the half to cut the Ohio Northern lead to 38-36 before halftime.

The Student Princes took their second lead of the game when Dane Givner hit a 3-pointer just into the half with 19:49 left to give his team a 39-38 advantage.

Calver provided HU with its largest lead of the game at the 15:52 mark when he converted a pair of free throws for a 47-42 lead.

At the 11:38 mark, senior guard Ezra Bradshaw gave ONU the lead back at 52-50 when he drove through the lane for a lay up.

Ohio Northern held its largest lead of the second half when Schnelle threw down a one-handed dunk at the 6:28 mark, giving the Polar Bears a 54-48 lead.

ONU benefited from a 50-32 advantage in points scored in the paint and a 12-2 advantage in fast-break points.

Both teams shot the ball well from the floor, as ONU made 33 of 55 field goals for a blistering 60.0 percent, while HU was good on 32 of 62 field goal attempts for 51.6 percent.

The Polar Bears take to the road on Wednesday as they travel to Muskingum for a 7:30 pm game.