After the visiting Panthers (4-4) scored the first four points of the game, MVNU (5-3) used a 14-6 run to go in front 14-10 with just under 16 minutes remaining in the first half as junior post Bryce Sanborn (left) scored six quick points and senior forward Jadin Thomas and senior guard Dan Borcherdt each nailed a three-pointer.

With the Cougars holding a 16-12 cushion at the 15:07 mark, Ohio Dominican rattled off nine straight points to regain the lead 21-16. Adriene Rodriguez led the surge with four points, and Dominic Russo nailed a trey.

MVNU answered with eight straight points to go in front 24-21 on a tip-in by junior wing Travis Brown with 8:05 left in the half. Thomas also added four points, and senior wing Andy Francis nailed a pair of free throws.

A layup by senior guard Ben Falkenberg with 2:58 before the break put the Cougars up 31-27, but the Panthers scored six of the final seven points to take a 33-32 lead to the locker room at the half.

Thomas paced MVNU with 10 points and eight rebounds in the first half, while Sanborn added six points and seven rebounds. The Cougars shot just 38.7 percent from the field (12-for-31), 20.0 percent from three-point range (2-for-10), and 66.7 percent from the free throw line (6-for-9). MVNU led 27-17 in rebounds, but committed 10 turnovers to just four for Ohio Dominican.

Rodriguez scored 10 points to lead the Panthers in the first half. Ohio Dominican shot 40.5 percent from the field (15-for-37), 11.1 percent from three-point range (1-for-9), and 50.0 percent from the free throw line (2-for-4).

The Panthers scored the first five points of the second half to extend their lead to 38-32 after a pair of free throws by Donald Suel and a three-pointer by Russo.

Trailing 40-34 with just over three minutes gone by, the Cougars used a 12-5 run to regain the lead 46-45 after a jumper by Brown with 13:06 to play. Falkenberg drained a three-pointer and a trio of free throws to help fuel the comeback.

Over the next eight minutes, there were three ties and 10 lead changes as the teams traded baskets with neither team leading by more than four points. MVNU held a slim 64-63 advantage at the 5:05 mark as Borcherdt connected on a pair of free throws.

A pair of free throws by Russo with 4:34 to play put Ohio Dominican back on top 65-64 and started what would end up being a 23-12 run by the Panthers to end the game for the 86-76 victory. Ohio Dominican went 17-for-20 at the free throw line during this span.

“Obviously, this was a disappointing loss for us,” said MVNU coach Scott Flemming, whose team has won 28 of its last 30 home games with both losses coming to Ohio Dominican. “We answered their runs in the second half and I really thought we would pull it out. They made a final run and we were not able to answer.”

“We struggled with their perimeter quickness,” Flemming added. “I did think that we had good bench play tonight. This (loss) stings right now, but we will bounce back.”

Thomas, Falkenberg, and Francis (right) each scored 16 points to lead the Cougars with Thomas grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds. Borcherdt added eight points, while Sanborn finished with six points and a career-high 12 rebounds. MVNU shot 38.7 percent from the field (24-for-62), 27.3 percent from three-point range (6-for-22), and 73.3 percent from the free throw line (22-for-30).

Rodriguez finished with a game-high 24 points for the Panthers, while Suel added 17 points and seven rebounds. Russo tossed in 10 points, and Bryan West just missed a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds. Ohio Dominican shot 45.3 percent from the field (29-for-64), 31.2 percent from three-point range (5-for-16), and 82.1 percent from the free throw line (23-for-28).

The Cougars will look to snap their two-game losing skid when they host the A+ Autobrokers Holiday Invitational this weekend. On Friday, Shawnee State University and Urbana University will square off at 6:00 p.m. followed by MVNU taking on Ohio State University-Mansfield at 8:00 p.m.