COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Dominican held a 42-20 advantage in points in the paint, but the Panther men's basketball team couldn't rally from a 13-point second half deficit, falling 65-60 to Central State Saturday in Alumni Hall in the Red Roof Inn Roundball Classic.

With the setback, the Panthers fell to 2-2 on the season, while the Marauders improved to 3-1.

Senior center Zak Kapron (Malvern, Ohio) had a season-high 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting to lead the Panthers and junior guard Morgan Jones (Oberlin, Ohio) filled the stat sheet with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Both teams shot the ball evenly, as Central State hit 24-of-55 (43.6 percent) while the Panthers finished 25-of-55 (45.5 percent). Both squads also committed 22 turnovers, but the Marauders were more accurate from deep, knocking down 7-of-17 (41.2 percent) from beyond the arc while ODU finished just 3-of-15 (20 percent).

ODU scored six straight points midway through the first half to go in front 20-19, as Kapron had back-to-back buckets and sophomore forward Don Kellum (Chicago, Ill.) also scored inside. CSU responded with a 12-2 burst, though, going in front 31-22 on a transition layup with 2:56 to go in the half, and the Marauders would take a 32-24 lead into the break.

The lead extended to 40-28 early in the second, but ODU climbed back into the contest on baskets inside by Kapron and senior guard Darrien Douglas (Willard, Ohio) and three free throws by Kellum and sophomore guard Zack Joseph (Lewis Center, Ohio).

That trimmed the deficit to 40-35 with 11:36 to go, but the Marauders had a run to answer, scoring 10 of the next 12 points to take a 50-37 lead with 7:35 to play.

Ohio Dominican knocked the lead to single digits on several occasions and drew as near as four on a Jones free throw with seven seconds left, but could get no closer.

Senior forward Aaron Gibbs (Oberlin, Ohio) had a team-high seven rebounds, while Kapron and senior forward Jake Mochoskay (Mansfield, Ohio) both grabbed six boards. Douglas scored eight points in 11 minutes off the bench, while Kellum and Mochoskay both tallied six.

Ohio Dominican is off for Thanksgiving and begins GLIAC play on at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1 against Grand Valley State.

2011 RED ROOF INN ROUNDBALL CLASSIC RESULTS

Friday, Nov. 18
Central State 81, Ashland 69
Ohio Dominican 57, Lourdes 51

Saturday, Nov. 19
Lourdes 63, Ashland 54
Central State 65, Ohio Dominican 60

All-Tournament Team
Evan Yates – Ashland
John Willhite – Lourdes
Aaron Gibbs - Ohio Dominican
Zak Kapron - Ohio Dominican
Phillip Gates - Central State
Greg Rice - Central State (MVP)

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu