#5 Women's Basketball improves to 22-0, clinches OAC title outright with 81-58 victory at Heidelberg

By Tim Glon

TIFFIN — The No. 5-ranked Ohio Northern women's basketball team improved to 22-0 and clinched the Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season title outright with an 81-57 victory at Heidelberg on Wednesday evening at Sieberling Gymnasium.

The Polar Bears are 15-0 in the OAC and have a four-game lead over Baldwin Wallace and Wilmington with three games to go in the regular season.

Junior Amy Bullimore (Morrow/Little Miami) recorded her fourth consecutive double-double with game-highs of 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead Ohio Northern.

Sophomore Jenna Dirksen (Beavercreek/Carroll) added 12 points and freshman Emily Mescher (Maria Stein/Marion Local) chipped in 10 points for ONU.

Heidelberg (8-14, 5-10) had five players in double figures in scoring with three players posting a team-high 12 points.

The Polar Bears did not trail in the contest and used a 15-2 run to take a 23-6 lead after the first quarter.

Northern led 43-22 at halftime and the Student Princes would get no closer than 13 points the rest of the way.

ONU has clinched the No. 1 seed and a double bye in the OAC Tournament.

Ohio Northern made 32-of-56 field goals for 57.1 percent and were 7-of-15 from 3-point range for 46.7 percent. Heidelberg was 24-of-60 from the floor for 40.0 percent and made 4-of-17 from beyond the arc for 23.5 percent.

The Polar Bears will return home on Saturday for a 3 pm game with John Carroll at the ONU Sports Center.