Balanced scoring leads women’s basketball team to 76-59 win at Oberlin

OBERLIN, Ohio – Senior SoQuitta DeShazor (Flint/Hamady) scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Comets, as the Olivet College women's basketball team stepped out of conference play tonight and defeated Oberlin (Ohio) College, 76-59, inside the Jesse Phillips Physical Education Center in Oberlin, Ohio.

DeShazor was one of four Olivet players in double figures. Junior Heather Lauwers (Ortonville/Brandon) was one point shy of her career-high with 15 points. Senior Mellissa Bageris (Milford) scored a season-high 12 points, while senior Sydney Radde (Stevensville/Lakeshore) had 11. Radde also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

The Comets (6-1) scored the first four points of the game before the Yeowomen fought back to make the score 7-6 at the 14:26 mark. From there, Olivet went on a 12-2 run for its first double digit lead of the game, 19-8, with 10:59 left in the opening half.

The Comets kept the defensive pressure and took an 18-point lead, 34-16, with 1:24 remaining before the break. After Oberlin made a three-pointer, Lauwers made a free throw to complete an old-fashioned 3-point play and Olivet led 37-19 at halftime.

In the first 20 minutes of play, the Comets shot 47 percent (16-of-34) from the floor to 27 percent (8-of-30) for the Yeowomen. Olivet also had an advantage in rebounds (24-16) and assists (11-4) and committed two less turnovers (4-6).

Oberlin cut its deficit down to six points, 52-46, at exactly the midpoint of the second half. The Comets came back with an 8-3 run to push their lead back to double figures, where it would stay for the rest of the game.

For the game, Olivet made 31-of-68 (45.6 percent) baskets to 22-of-54 (40.7 percent) for the Yeowomen. The Comets turned the ball over only six times to 14 times for Oberlin.

For the Yeowomen, Christina Marquette led all players with 27 points.

The Comets will stay in Ohio tonight and make the drive to Lima to play University of Northwestern Ohio Wednesday night. Game time is 5:30 p.m.

NOTES: Tonight's game was the first time in school history that Oberlin and Olivet have met on the court in a women's basketball game. Olivet Head Coach Nicole Burford is a 2005 Oberlin graduate. She was a three-year letterwinner on the basketball team for the Yeowomen, earning second-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference honors as a senior. The Comets have won five straight games.