ADA, Ohio - Heidelberg men's basketball, led by sophomore Deonte Holder, fell to the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern, 96-86.

Holder finished with a team-high, 24-points against the Polar Bears. Holder shot seven of twelve from the floor and nine of ten from the line while hauling in five rebounds and two steals.

Senior Keith Mackie scored 22 points in the loss and was the only other Student Prince to finish in double figures. Mackie's 22-point performance in Ada marks his second highest scoring game of the season

The duo of Holder and Mackie lead the Berg men in scoring with an average of 16.3 and 12.4 points per game respectively.

Five Polar Bears scoring in double figures, including two 20+-point performances, spelled disaster for the Student Princes. Ohio Northern's Branden Rushton led all scorers with 26 points on ten of 17 shooting. The Polar Bear shot an impressive six of seven beyond the arc.

Ohio Northern maintained a slim lead in the opening minutes of the game until the Berg took the lead at the 9:40 mark, 20-19. The Berg's narrow lead dissipated in the next 1:27 of action and the Polar Bears took a three-point lead, 24-21.

The Berg men attempted to earn the lead again before halftime, but Ohio Northern held off the Berg offense to take a seven-point lead, 45-38, into the locker room.

The second half was all Ohio Northern as they continually maintained their lead over the Berg. The Polar Bears obtained their largest lead of the contest, 17 points, when they brought the game to 89-74 with 5:13 remaining in the game.

The Student Princes managed to cut the Polar Bear lead to ten, but the deficit was too much to overcome in the closing minutes. With the loss the Berg men move to 5-17 on the year.

Aside from Holder and Mackie's 24 and 22-point performances, three Student Princes finished with nine against Ohio Northern. Sophomore Jackson Blue, junior Frank Longhino and freshman Mason Willeke each tallied nine points off of the bench. Blue's nine points were accompanied by his team-high six rebounds while Willeke and Longhino respectively shot three of five and four of five from the floor.

The Heidelberg men will return to the hardwood on Saturday, February 15, as they play host to the Fighting Muskies of Muskingum University. Tipoff from Seiberling Gymnasium is slated for 3 p.m. as the Berg men will be celebrating Alumni Day.