COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Dominican men's basketball team suffered a 78-63 setback to Findlay on Thursday evening in Alumni Hall.

After a slow shooting start for both teams, the Oilers (14-6, 11-5 GLIAC) struck first at the 17:47 mark after a made free throw by Alphonso Baity, making the score 1-0.

It took roughly two minutes later for the first field goal of the game, when senior point guard Morgan Jones (Oberlin, Ohio) hit a jump shot at 15:23 to go ahead 2-1. The Oilers regained the lead, 4-2 after Baity hit a deep three from the right side of the court.

Sophomore center Bobby Stauffer (Lexington, Ky.) knotted the score at the 15:03 mark after hitting a pair of free throws.

The game was tied 18-18 at the 8:01 mark when freshman center Jordan Cowgill (Worthington, Ohio) hit a jumper from junior guard Ledarius Stennis (Moss Point, MO) to go ahead 20-18.

The Panthers (4-17, 1-15 GLIAC) held the lead the rest of the way, and led at the half 31-28. 

In the first half, the Panthers shot 40.6 percent from the field on 13-of-32 shooting. They held the Oilers to just 26.9 percent, 7-of-26 from the field, but 11-14 (78%) free throws kept the visitors close.

Findlay opened the second half with a three point play by Greg Kahlig to tie the game at 31-31 and would quickly jump ahead 33-31 after a jumper by Brad Piehl.

ODU responded, drawing the score at 33-33 after freshman forward Trent Weaver (Hilliard, Ohio) hit a free throw at the 18:29 mark.

The Panthers held the lead for the next four minutes until Findlay's Dylan Kaufman hit a jumper to go ahead 40-39.

Cowgill once again came through for the Panthers, hitting a pair of free throws to give ODU a 41-40 lead.

However, Oiler Aaron Robinson hit a three-point jump shot to give Findlay a 43-41 lead and never looked back as they pushed their final margin of victory to 15.

Weaver had posted his first double-double of the season, scoring season-highs 11 points and pulling down 14 rebounds. Jones chipped in with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. Junior forward Don Kellum (Chicago, Ill.) came off the bench and added nine points and four boards.

The Panthers return to Alumni Hall this Saturday, Feb. 9 for a 1 p.m. tipoff against Hillsdale. The game is the team's annual Pink Day and will be accepting donations to help raise money for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund to raise breast cancer awareness and funds for research.

Contact: Sarah Twiggs
twiggss@ohiodominican.edu