COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Dominican men's basketball team dropped its Great Midwest Athletic Conference opener to Ashland Thursday evening, 77-54.

The Panthers were led in scoring by Sean Marks (Delaware, Ohio) with 10 points. Marks was one of three ODU players to make a pair of three pointers, as the Black & Gold tied a season high with 11 triples. 

Marcus Johnson (Columbus, Ohio) paced the Panthers with seven rebounds, while also adding six points, three steals and two assists. Alek West (Sylvania, Ohio) returned to action, registering nine points and three rebounds.

Ashland (4-2, 1-0 G-MAC) opened the game on a 9-0 run and never trailed. The Panthers (1-6, 0-1 G-MAC) responded with an 8-0 scoring spurt and a three pointer from Marks tied the game at 20-all just past the midway point of the first half. ODU made six of its first nine three-point tries in what would be the only tie of the contest. 

The Eagles also heated up from behind the arc, concluding the opening half 8-for-18 from deep, while closing the session on a 26-4 run to take a 46-24 lead into the break. ODU was held to just 2-of-13 shooting down the stretch of the first half.

Ashland led by 20-plus points the entire second half en route to a 77-54 victory in its first official conference game as a member of the G-MAC. 

Ohio Dominican will look to bounce back when it closes a three-game homestand against Tiffin on Saturday, Dec. 4. The Panthers and Dragons will tip off at 3 p.m. inside Alumni Hall.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@ohiodominican.edu