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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
JCU Celebration
Carmen Ferrante
38
Ohio Northern ONU 7-8,5-7 OAC
69
Winner John Carroll JCU 12-2,10-2 OAC
Ohio Northern ONU
7-8,5-7 OAC
38
Final
69
John Carroll JCU
12-2,10-2 OAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ohio Northern ONU 2 12 12 12 38
John Carroll JCU 14 19 24 12 69

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Kyle Kelly, Senior Staff Writer

Women's Basketball Enjoys Historic Win in OAC Semifinal over ONU

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — In the last meeting between John Carroll University and Ohio Northern University at the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center, the Blue Streaks needed a last minute stop for a win. Tonight, the Blue Streaks cruised.  
 
For the third consecutive season, the JCU Women's Basketball team has advanced to the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Championship. The Blue Streaks also did it in historic fashion.
 
In a rematch of the 2019 OAC Tournament Championship and last year's semifinal game, the Blue Streaks beat the Ohio Northern Polar Bears, 69-38, in the 2021 edition OAC Semifinal on March 4.
 
"They executed the game plan just as asked tonight," Head Coach Beth Andrews '15 said after the game. "Things were just clicking tonight. They really had a great shoot around. They knew the scout. It was just a very locked-in feel.
 
"The closer we get to the end of the season, the more they want to win. They all showed that tonight."
 
John Carroll improves to 12-2 on the season and is set to host Baldwin Wallace in the OAC Tournament Championship on Saturday, March 6, at 3 p.m. The Blue Streaks and Yellow Jackets will square off in a rematch of last year's championship game.
 
The 31-point margin of victory is the largest in the 73 meetings between the Blue Streaks and Polar Bears. The 38 points allowed were also the least number of points surrendered in an OAC Tournament game in JCU history and the least ever against an OAC opponent since joining the conference in 1989.

Wins by 30+ points are not uncommon in the OAC Tournament. However, before tonight, no OAC team had won two conference tournament games by 30 or more points since 1986, when Capital vanquished Wittenberg by 31 points in the quarterfinals and Heidelberg by 30 points in the semifinal. 
 
It really didn't take long at all for JCU to punch its ticket to the championship game.
 
A lights-out defensive effort in the opening quarter froze the Polar Bears to just two points. Meanwhile, the Blue Streaks fired on all cylinders offensively with a 14-point effort. ONU missed its first 16 shots and shot just 23.7% from the field for the game.
 
The Polar Bears' first made shot came with two seconds remaining in the first quarter — Alissa Stahler was the one that finally broke the ice.
 
Olivia Nagy played a key role in the Blue Streaks going ahead 16-2 through 11:38 of play. The reigning OAC Player of the Year, Nagy finished with her fourth straight double-double (17 points, 11 rebounds). It is also Nagy's sixth double-double of the season and 22nd of her career.
 
"She does a great job of owning the paint," Andrews said. "It also helps when our guards are willing to take outside shots, even if they're not going in 100% of the time. They're willing to take them. That makes the defense question.
 
"Liv's hands and soft touch around the rim is just fun to watch."
 
The Blue Streaks finished 48.4% from the field and 33.3% from three. Nicole Heffington (5-8 FG) contributed 11 points, 7 rebounds and a team-high four assists.
 
Abby Adler also matched Heffington with four assists and Nagy with a team-best three blocks.
 
In the second quarter — JCU's OAC Player of the Year duo, Heffington and Nagy — combined for 13 of the team's 19 points. At the half, the Blue Streaks led 33-14.
 
Coming out of the locker room, the Blue and Gold left no doubt with their highest scoring output of the night (24 points). Sarah Balfour accounted for seven of those points and finished with nine for the game.
 
"I spoke with her at halftime and said, 'the rotation is going to get to you tonight. We have a lot of people that can play. I want everyone to play. It's not part of basketball. Whoever is on the floor is on the floor,'" Andrews said. "When she had the opportunity, she went for it. I am very proud of her."
 
Both teams scored 12 points in the final quarter as JCU put a bow on the win.
 
The win marks the third consecutive year that the Blue Streaks have defeated Ohio Northern in the OAC Tournament and also sets a rematch of last year's tournament game. It will be Andrews' first OAC Championship game as head coach.
 
"It's just setting up for a good story ending for these seniors," she said. "It's been special because of this group. I wouldn't be in the position that I am in right now without these 14 players and my staff."
 
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