By Tim Glon

ADA — Sophomore Konnor Baker came off the bench to score a game-high 19 points and a team-high seven rebounds to lead the Ohio Northern men's basketball team to a 72-60 victory over Adrian (Mich.) Saturday afternoon in the home opener at the ONU Sports Center.

The Polar Bears improve to 3-0 on the season, while the Bulldogs fall to 1-2.

Senior Lucas Pennington also scored 10 points for ONU.

AC was led by Eric Lewis with 18 points and Rickey Jackson with 17 points.

Northern got hot in the second half, making 61 percent of its field goal attempts in the final 15 minutes, to take control of the game.

Trailing 42-41, Baker gave ONU the lead for good at 43-42 with a layup with 14:32 left to play.

He followed with a 3-pointer at the 13:55 mark and ONU was up 46-42.

Sophomore Aron Thress scored a basket, Baker added a free throw and sophomore Joey Hurless got a layup as ONU extended its lead to 51-45 with 10:21 to play.

A 6-0 run on baskets by Baker, sophomore Alex Radkiewicz and Pennington put ONU up 59-49 with 7:02 left.

AC would no closer than seven points the rest of the way.

ONU made 27-of-55 field goals for 49.1 percent while holding AC to 15-of-50 field goal shooting for 30 percent.

The Bulldogs out-rebounded the Polar Bears 37-35.

The Polar Bears will return to action Tuesday when they host Defiance in the second game of a women's/men's double header at approximately 7:30 pm at the ONU Sports Center.