Women’s basketball team beats Manchester, 51-28, in home-opener

The Olivet College women’s basketball team turned up the defensive pressure in its home-opener, beating Manchester (Ind.) University, 51-28, today at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. The Comets made a single-game school record 28 steals off 40 Spartan turnovers. In addition, the 28 points given up were the third least in school history for a game.

Box Score

Team Stats

Women’s basketball team beats Manchester, 51-28, in home-opener
November 24, 2012

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team turned up the defensive pressure in its home-opener, beating Manchester (Ind.) University, 51-28, today at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. The Comets made a single-game school record 28 steals off 40 Spartan turnovers. In addition, the 28 points given up were the third least in school history for a game.

Manchester led 2-0 before Olivet tied the game on a jumper by junior Kelsey Campbell (Olivet) and then took the lead after senior Sydney Radde (Stevensville/Lakeshore) made two free throws. The Comets built their lead to double figures for the first time, 21-10, at the 5:19 mark after Campbell made a 3-pointer. Olivet also led by 11 points, 23-12, at halftime.

After the Spartans scored the first basket of the second half, the Comets did not allow another basket for more than seven minutes. Meanwhile, Olivet stretched its lead to 19 points. Manchester got its deficit down to 15 points, 35-20, before the Comets took their largest lead of the game, 50-22.

Campbell led all scorers with 18 points to go along with two assists and four steals in 30 minutes. Junior Chelsea Ciba (Olivet) joined her in double figures with 12 points. She had a team-leading eight steals, which is the second most in school history for a game. Juniors Heather Lauwers (Ortonville/Brandon) and Rachael Wagner (Clinton Twp./Fraser) finished with five and four steals, respectively. Senior Kaleigh Hill (Niles) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

Hannah Field came off the bench to lead the Spartans with nine points, while Alyssa Hammond and Abby Lang had eight rebounds apiece.

Olivet opens Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play with two road games next week. On Tuesday night, they play a 7:30 p.m. game at Trine (Ind.) University and on Saturday, they play a 3 p.m. game at Saint Mary's (Ind.) College.

LEAST POINTS ALLOWED
    1. 24 vs. Kalamazoo (1/20/1981) … 73-24 win
       24 vs. Grace Bible (12/4/2001) … 83-24 win
   3. 28 vs. Manchester (11/24/2012) … 51-28 win
   4. 30 at Madonna (1/27/1987) … 80-30 win
   5. 32 vs. Grace Bible (11/30/1999) … 67-32 win