TIFFIN -- The Heidelberg University Men's Basketball team remained unbeaten in conference action following Wednesday night's 81-68 win over Ohio Northern. Four players reached double figures in the win, which helped HU improve to 5-2 overall, 2-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference.  

For the seventh straight game to start the season, Eric Panning finished with a double-double.  He was 9-of-12 from the floor and finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds.  

Ohio Northern came out aggressively on defense and hot on offense.  Through the first six minutes of action, the Polar Bears amassed an 11-point lead.  A 12-2 run helped Heidelberg crawl back to within one, but ONU scored the next six to regain part of their cushion.  

With 3:16 left in the half, Blake Michael hit a 3-pointer that put ONU ahead 37-29. Unbeknownst to the crowd inside Seiberling Gymnasium, the Polar Bears would not score again for the next 7:21 on game play.  

Heidelberg closed the half on a 10-0 run and went into halftime ahead, 39-37.  Then, HU opened the second half on another 10-0 run and led 49-37.  

ONU's Carter Reese caught fire, hitting three 3-pointers in a span of 2:22 -- helping the Polar Bears creep back to within three at 51-48. He finished with 25.  

Layups by Panning, Amil Jenkins, Carter Pleiman, and Isaiah Young helped settle the Student Princes, who kept at least a five point lead the rest of the way.  

Panning delighted the crowd with three dunks down the stretch, including an alley-oop finish from Pleiman. The dunk gave HU an 81-68 lead - their biggest of the game.  

Young finished with 18 points while Pleiman and Leitwein each added 12.  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: 

Heidelberg outscored ONU in the paint, 50-22 … ONU was a perfect 17-of-17 from the line, led by Reese's 10-for-10 performance … The Berg shot 53.3% (32-for-60) from the floor. ONU was 21-of-55 (38.2%).  

UP NEXT:

Heidelberg hits the road on Saturday for their first OAC road game of the season. The Student Princes visit Otterbein for a 1 p.m. battle.