COLUMBUS, Ohio – A 14-0 run to begin the fourth quarter lifted Ohio Dominican's women's basketball team past Northern Michigan 61-49 in GLIAC play Thursday night in Alumni Hall.

Trailing 45-42 entering the period, a pair of three pointers by sophomore Alexis Overly (Chillicothe, Ohio), sandwiched around a Madi Rittinger (Dayton, Ohio) layup, gave ODU a 50-45 lead at the 6:18 mark, forcing an NMU timeout. Rittinger then found senior Lindsey Blanford (Xenia, Ohio) in transition for a fastbreak layup, and a blocked shot by freshman Jessica Boerger (Fort Loramie, Ohio) led to another Rittinger layup, extending the lead to 54-45 with 4:34 to play.

A layup by senior Lauren Bates (Hilliard, Ohio) capped the run at the 3:06 mark, and Blanford knocked down a triple of her own with 2:11 to play to put ODU on top 59-47 and seal the win.

The Panthers forced NMU into missing 13 of its 14 shots in the final quarter, part of a defensive effort that limited the visitors to 35.3 percent shooting (18-of-51). ODU also forced 25 turnovers, turning those into 17 points

Boerger scored 12 points in her first start while also grabbing six rebounds, coming up with four steals, and blocking two shots. Bates chipped in 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting while grabbing five boards, Rittinger finished with 10 points and three rebounds, and Blanford scored 10 points off the bench.

Junior Megan Eyre (Fayetteville, Ohio) matched a career high with seven rebounds off the bench to go along with four assists, and Overly had four assists to go along with the pair of triples she made in the fourth quarter.

The Panthers shot 41.4 percent (24-of-58) from the field and finished with a 13-2 edge in fast break points in a game that featured 11 lead changes.

The Panthers led by six on a trio of occasions in the first quarter, including at 15-9 at the three minute mark, and took a 16-14 lead into the second. NMU responded with an 11-2 run early in the second to go on top 25-20 midway through the period, but a jump shot by Blanford with 1:30 to play in the quarter gave ODU a 30-29 lead at the break.

ODU shot 48.0 percent in the first half and had an 8-2 edge in fastbreak points.

Ohio Dominican remains at home for a 1 p.m. tipoff Saturday with Michigan Tech.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu