PAINESVILLE, Ohio – A slow start to both the first and second halves proved too much to overcome for Ohio Dominican men's basketball team as the Panthers fell 70-65 at Lake Erie on Saturday in GLIAC action.

The Storm started the game on a 19-4 run, then used a 13-0 run early in the second half to build a 21 point lead. ODU sliced the deficit to three with five minutes left, but could draw no closer down the stretch.

With the setback, ODU fell to 8-18 (5-15 GLIAC), while the Storm improved to 11-14 (8-13 GLIAC).

Junior guard Chad Nelson (Columbus, Ohio) scored 22 points with six rebounds and junior Trent Weaver (Columbus, Ohio) added 16 points with nine rebounds.

The Panthers outshot Lake Erie, finishing 44.4 percent from the field (24-of-54), while the Storm shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57). But ODU committed 21 turnovers and hit just 4-of-18 from behind the arc.

Lake Erie jumped to that 19-4 lead in the opening eight minutes of the game and went in front 32-12 with five minutes to play. Nelson sank a three pointer and made two free throws to help key a 13-2 run to close the half, though, and made a layup in the closing seconds as well to cut the deficit to 34-25 at the break.

Freshman guard Ronnie Williams (Columbus, Ohio) sank a three early in the second half to make it an eight point game, but the Storm bumped the lead to 49-28 six minutes into the half with their 13-0 burst.

But the Panthers fought back. Senior Jesse Ward (North Pole, Ak.) hit a three, Weaver had a dunk and Nelson buried a jumper to make it 49-36 with 9:23 left. Following Nelson's jumper, a foul and a technical foul was assessed to Lake Erie, and it wound up being a seven point possession for the Panthers to get within 49-41 with 9:06 to play.

A Nelson three point play cut it to 52-48 with 5:42 left, and freshman Adam Cytlak (Van Buren, Ohio) used a pump fake to shake free and drill a three to make it 54-51 with five minutes left.

But Lake Erie scored eight of the next nine points to go back in front 62-52, and the Panthers would draw no closer than the five point final margin.

ODU shot 15-of-28 in the second half (53.6 percent) and put up 53 points in the final 25 minutes of play.

Ohio Dominican is back at home at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against Tiffin in Alumni Hall.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu