Harrigan Freezes Polar Bears

An extra day of preparation paid off for the Heidelberg University women’s basketball team. The Berg traveled to Ada, Ohio and topped host Ohio Northern University 70-65 tonight (January 29) in a contest that was originally scheduled for yesterday, but was postponed due to inclement weather.
 
The extra day of preparing paid dividends for senior guard Morgan Harrigan (Urbana, Ohio / Urbana) who sank six from long range for 18 points to help the Berg freeze the host Polar Bears and improve to 5-13 on the year and 2-9 in league action. The Polar Bears fall to 8-9 and 6-5. The six made from three-point land by Harrigan ties for second in a single-game at the Berg, a spot that Harrigan is already a part of from a game during her sophomore year at Robert Morris-Springfield. Harrigan owns the single-game record of seven, which she set last season at Bluffton University.
 
Rounding out three in double figures for the Berg wasBrittany Skolnicki (Lorain, Ohio / Clearview) with 14 and Stacey Barker (Grove City, Ohio / Grove City) with 12. Jenny Miller (Tiffin, Ohio / Clyde) came off the bench to grab a team-leading nine rebounds, to go along with eight points. Also contributing eight points and six rebounds was Stacey Richard (Galloway, Ohio / Central Crossing).
 
ONU was led by Alisha Rinehart’s career-best 30 points, while Kara Sysert added 10. Steph Hicks had a team-best eight boards.
 
For the game, Heidelberg shot 45.1 percent (23-for-51) compared to a 33.9 clip (20-for-59) by the Polar Bears. The difference in the contest was the 13 treys on behalf of the Berg which was a stark contrast to the four made by ONU. The 13 three-pointers was the most made by the Berg in a game this year, along with its 59.1 three-point shooting percentage.
 
Harrigan and Barker combined for nine three-pointers and 27 points in the first half to build a 47-26 Heidelberg lead. The Berg defense kept the Polar Bears chilled from the field in the first 10 minutes as ONU hit just 2-of-16 (12.5%) attempts which led to a 26-8 ’Berg lead. Harrigan helped the first half efforts hitting all six of her treys, including a buzzer beater just inside half court.
 
The Polar Bears went on a 17-2 run to start the second half and brought its deficit to six points at 49-43 with 11:15 left. The Berg didn’t give in as they went on an 11-2 run of their own to extend its lead back to double digits 60-48 with 6:35 on the clock. Freshman Lyndsey DaVault (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville) pushed the Berg lead to 12 points with back-to-back from long range.
 
Ohio Northern pulled within five points with 42 seconds left but the Berg held on for the win.