JCU players dressed in the spirit of "Think Pink" Saturday at the DeCarlo Varsity Center
Box Score
Last second heroics were not in the cards for the John Carroll University women's basketball team Saturday afternoon, as the Blue Streaks fell to Ohio Northern University, 79-76 in University Heights, Ohio.
In a game with 12 ties and 13 lead changes, Ohio Northern would have the last significant momentum swing go in its favor
With 1:57 remaining in the second half, the Polar Bears took a 74-72 lead after a jump shot by senior Erin Brand. Senior Jenny Markle then hit her second three-point shot in a one-and-a-half minute span, putting ONU up by five and marking their biggest lead of the second half.
JCU did not back down, as freshman Lee Jennings scored a basket with 53 seconds left to pull within three. Junior Rachael Price followed with another basket, pulling the Blue Streaks within one.
However, after ONU junior Alisha Rinehart made both of her free throws following Jennings' fifth foul, JCU could not deliver at the other end, as sophomore Whitney Hamilton had her attempt at a game-tying three-point shot with a second remaining glance off the backbroad and rim as the buzzer sounded.
During the second half, the lead between the two teams changed seven times, with JCU's biggest lead coming after a lay-up by Jennings from junior Alex D'Amico with 14:54 remaining.
ONU looked as it was going to dominate the game at the start of play. The Polar Bears held a ten-point lead over JCU at the 13:25 mark, after a Markle lay-up made the score 17-7. However, the Blue Streaks quickly came back on both offense and defense, going on a 19-4 run in a five-minute span.
After a technical foul on the JCU bench with 5:22 remaining in the first half, ONU was able to tie it up at 26 a piece. The remainder of the half brought a back-and-forth battle, until halftime when the Polar Bears went to the locker room with a 36-34 advantage.
Free throw shooting and rebounds played major factors for both JCU and ONU. At the end of the first half, the Polar Bears had out rebounded JCU, 29-17. By the end of the game, ONU had won that battle as well, 42-32.
John Carroll (13-8, 8-6 OAC) had three players score in double figures. Price and Jennings both had 18 a piece, while Hamilton chipped in 16. Sophomore Caitlin Sureck just missed a double double, scoring eight points and grabbing ten rebounds.
Ohio Northern (16-5, 11-3 OAC) was led by senior Megan Cevasco with 18 points. Four other Polar Bears scored in double figures, including Rinehart with 15, Brand with 13, Markle with 11 and senior Leah Zimmerman with 10.
This is the second time JCU and ONU faced each other this season. On Dec. 15, 2007, the Polar Bears beat the Blue Streaks, 77-57 in Ada, Ohio.
