Women’s basketball: Olivet lets lead slip away in 70-63 loss to Millikin

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team led by six points with six minutes left until Millikin (Ill.) University rallied past the Comets, 70-63, this afternoon at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. Millikin improves to 8-2 with its win, while Olivet slips to 5-5 with the loss.

In the first half, the Comets gained their largest lead of the game, 15-8, at the 12:53 mark when sophomore Gabby Trudell drained a free throw to complete a three-point play. The Big Blue came back with a 22-8 run to take their own seven-point lead, 30-23.

Olivet battled back with 11 straight points – seven for senior Stefanie Lang and four for freshman Ayren Parrish – to take a 34-30 lead. The teams exchanged baskets over the final three minutes of the half and the Comets led by two points, 40-38, at the break.

In the second half, Olivet led by five points 52-47. Millikin responded and tied the game three times, 52-52, 54-54 and 56-56. The Comets scored nine of the next 12 points to take its six-point lead, 65-59. The Big Blue scored back-to-back layups to make the score 65-61 before two free throws by junior Leighann Thilo pushed Olivet's lead back to four points, 67-63.

Millikin scored seven straight points – two three-pointers and a free throw – to take a 70-67 lead. The teams traded baskets and the Comets were down by one point, 72-71, with 2:32 left in the game. Another three-pointer by the Big Blue pushed their lead to four points, 75-71.

Olivet missed a three-pointer and were then forced to foul in the final minute of the game. Millikin made 5-of-6 free throws to seal its come-from-behind win.

Overall in the game, there were 10 tied scores and three lead changes. The Comets made 31 baskets, with five three-pointers, while the Big Blue made 29 baskets, with five triples. The difference in the game was Millikin drained 17-of-25 free throws to 6-of-11 free throws for Olivet.

Lang led all players with 25 points and 15 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season. Senior Carli Reid contributed 18 points and nine rebounds, as the Comets had +12 advantage on the boards. Parrish and junior Jackie Harwood each scored seven points. Thilo dished out a game-high six assists. Junior Dallas Austin scored six points, grabbed five rebounds and recorded five assists.

Millikin was led by Kesley Going's 18 points. Devin Curry and Emma Hoyer scored 13 points apiece.

The Comets are now off until after Christmas and return to action Tuesday, Dec. 30, with a 1 p.m. game at Lawrence Technological Institute.

NOTES: With her 25 points, Lang now sits seventh on Olivet's all-time scoring list with 940 points. Next up on the scoring list is Emily Fix who scored 960 points from 2001-05. Lang's 15 rebounds moved her into a tie for fifth-place on the all-time list.