Women’s basketball team rallies to beat Saint Mary’s, 79-75

The Olivet College women’s basketball team overcame a halftime deficit to build a 14-point lead in the second half and hung on to beat Saint Mary’s (Ind.) College, 79-75, this afternoon at the Angela Athletic Facility

Box Score

Team Stats

Women’s basketball team rallies to beat Saint Mary’s, 79-75
December 1, 2012

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Olivet College women's basketball team overcame a halftime deficit to build a 14-point lead in the second half and hung on to beat Saint Mary's (Ind.) College, 79-75, in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) game this afternoon at the Angela Athletic Facility in South Bend, Ind. With the win, Olivet has won three straight games and improve its overall record to 4-1, including a perfect 2-0 against MIAA foes.

Saint Mary's led by seven points, 16-9, with 13:27 left in the first half. The Comets battled back with a 12-2 run to take a 21-18 lead. The Belles came back with a 21-9 run to take their largest lead of the game at 39-30. After two more nine-point leads, with the last one being, 44-35, Olivet scored the last four points of the half to trail by only five points, 44-39, at the break.

In the first five minutes of the second half, the Comets went on a 15-2 spurt to take their biggest lead of the game, 54-46. Olivet eventually took its first double digit lead of the game, 61-50, with 12:15 remaining in the contest. The Comets then saw their lead grow to 14 points, 68-54. Saint Marys fought back with a 21-8 run to trim its deficit down to one point, 76-75, but would not get any closer,  as the Comets made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 15 seconds to seal their win.

Junior Kelsey Campbell (Olivet) led Olivet with 19 points. She made five 3-pointers and four free throws for her 19 points. Senior SoQuitta DeShazor (Flint/Hamady) finished with 13 points, while senior Mellissa Bageris (Milford) and junior Heather Lauwers (Ortonville/Brandon) each had 11.

DeShazor and Lauwers grabbed nine rebounds apiece. Campbell and junior Chelsea Ciba (Olivet) each had five assists. Ciba scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds.

Ariana Paul posted a double-double, 20 points and 10 rebounds, to lead the Belles. Shanlynn Bias and Krista Knapke scored 17 and 14 points, respectively.  

Olivet will host Adrian College next Tuesday, Dec. 4. Tip-off inside The Cutler Event Center is 7:30 p.m.