ADA, Ohio -- The No. 15 Heidelberg University men's basketball dropped their second straight contest, falling to Ohio Northern University, 74-68, on Friday.  When the day began, HU was scheduled to play Baldwin Wallace and ONU was slated to visit Capital. However, COVID woes in Berea and Bexley offered a chance for the Polar Bears and The Berg to meet for the third time in the regular season.  Heidelberg won the first two contests, but lost the third -- a game that featured 17 lead changes.  

The loss dropped The Berg to 6-2 while the Polar Bears improved to 3-3.

Emmanuel Perdue led all scorers with 24 points, making 10-15 field goal attempts. Dylan Woods and Seth Hohman followed for the Student Princes with 14 points each, Hohman also led Heidelberg in rebounds with seven. 

Woods scored the first points of the game, he was followed by Seth Hohman with a layup to put the Student Princes ahead 4-0 early in the half. 

A Bailey Croft 3-pointer gave Heidelberg a four-point lead with 12:29 remaining in the half and gave the visitors some momentum to their largest lead of the half at 19-13 with 7:50 remaining in the half. 

Ohio Northern responded with an 8-2 run to take a lead 27-25 with 3:16 remaining in the half. 

The Berg fought back to take a 29-27 lead but then a 6-0 run for the Polar Bears propelled them to a three-point lead at the break.

The Student Princes returned from the socially-distanced locker rooms to go on a 7-0 run and take a 40-35 lead three minutes into the half, all seven points were scored by Perdue.

Undeterred, the Yellow Jackets recovered with a 5-0 run to take the lead back 43-42 with 14:06 remaining in the contest. 

With 10:29 remaining, Heidelberg led 51-47 but successive 3-pointers from ONU's Brandon Waugh gave the hosts the lead. 

Both teams traded points with neither team taking more than a two-point lead over the next six minutes. 

Heidelberg used a 7-1 run to take a 68-64 lead with 1:37 remaining on the clock. The run consisted of a Perdue 3-pointer and layup following a pair of free throws from Woods. 

Ignited by a three-point play from CJ Napier, ONU closed the game out on a 10-0 run.  On the ensuing 'Berg possession, Alex Arellano was whistled for an offensive foul.  Adam Scott put the Polar Bears up for good with a driving lay-up with 47 seconds to play.  

HU had looks to retake the lead or tie the game, but could not convert.  

Four of the five Polar Bear starters finished in double-figures, led by a 19-point night from Napier.

ONU won the rebounding battle, 36-28 -- including a 16-11 edge on the offensive glass. The Polar Bears also out-shot HU from long range, hitting 8-19 (42.1%) while Heidelberg was just 5-24 (20.8%).  

The Student Princes will host Ohio Northern tomorrow evening with a tipoff time of 6 p.m. in Seiberling Gymnasium.