By: Jay Garneau

WILMINGTON – Behind a career-high 16 points from freshman Jordan Kimes, the Ohio Northern women's basketball team defeated Wilmington 64-46 at the Fred Raizk Arena on Wednesday night.

The Polar Bears improve to 20-4 overall and 14-3 in the OAC. The Quakers fall to 12-12 overall and 7-10 in league play with the loss.

Ohio Northern also reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since the 1987-88 season when the team finished 23-4 and advanced to the third round of the NCAA playoffs.

Kimes scored a game-high 16 points on 8-for-13 shooting to easily eclipse her previous career high of eight points.

Senior Kara Dysert and sophomore Cenzie Yoder also scored in double figures.

Dysert totaled 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, while Yoder added 10 points, five boards and three steals.

Junior Katie Mengos contributed seven points, nine rebounds and four steals.

ONU's defense was very effective, not allowing any Quaker to score in double figures, also forcing Wilmington to shoot 18-for-52 (34.6 percent).

The Polar Bears also forced 22 turnovers, while committing just 10 of their own.Leading 18-16 with less than two minutes left in the first half, ONU went on a 9-0 run, including five points from sophomore Taylor Hermiller, to take a 27-16 lead into the break.

Wilmington attempted to chip away at the lead, cutting it to 50-42 with 6:17 remaining.

Kimes then scored four straight points to spark a 14-4 run to end the game, with ONU claiming the 64-46 win.

Bria Eslick led Wilmington with eight points off the bench, while LeAnn Topp added six points and 12 rebounds.

The Polar Bears will close out the regular season with an OAC game at Baldwin-Wallace on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Mount Union and Ohio Northern have clinched the top two seeds in the OAC Tournament, earning double-byes to the semifinal round for each of them. Ohio Northern will host the No. 3-6-7 winner on Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the ONU Sports Center.