C.J. Napier highlights Senior Day thriller against No. 6-ranked John Carroll with a career high 34-point afternoon

By Ashton Church

ADA — It was Senior Day on Saturday as the Ohio Northern men's basketball team, led by a career high 34-point afternoon from C.J. Napier (Miamisburg/Bishop Fenwick), dropped an overtime thriller to No. 6 John Carroll 95-89 at the ONU Sports Center.

The Polar Bears fall to 9-14 overall and 5-11 Ohio Athletic Conference, while the Blue Streaks improve to 21-2, 15-1 OAC.

Senior Landen Long (Mason) scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds, senior Adam Scott (Wapakoneta) added 12 points and freshman Will Miller (Ottoville) added points for the Polar Bears.

Luke Chicone and Chase Toppin led JCU with 19 points apiece.

In a tight first half that saw 13 lead changes, Northern ended the half on a 6-0 run to lead 44-36 at intermission. Napier led ONU with 15 points and Heath Jeffries (Newark/Catholic) scored ahead of the halftime buzzer to cap the run.

Northern had an electric first half, shooting 8-11 from behind the arc and 16-26 from the field.

Ohio Northern went on a 8-2 run to go up 59-44 with 13:30 left in the game.

The Blue Streaks rallied with a 16-3 run over the next 3:42, to pull within 63-60 with 9:48 remaining.

With 5:39 left in regulation, JCU was within 71-70, and JCU eventually took a 76-74 lead with 2:03 to go.

The score was tied at 77-all and each team missed shots in the final 12 seconds to send the game into overtime.

Napier made two free throws with 2:40 left in overtime to put the Polar Bears ahead 82-81.

The Blue Streaks scored the next eight points to go ahead 89-82 with 43 seconds left and would hang on for the win.

Ohio Northern made 31-of-58 field goals for 53.4 percent and was 10-of-19 from 3-point range for 52.6 percent, while the Blue Streaks shot 35-of-74 from the field for 47.3 percent and was 5-of-17 from beyond the arc for 29.4 percent.

ONU was 17-of-24 from the charity stripe for 70.8 percent, and JCU was 20-of-26 for 76.9 percent.

John Carroll won the rebound battle 37-36.

The Polar Bears return to action next Wednesday when they host the Student Princes of Heidelberg at 7 pm at the ONU Sports Center.