Women’s basketball team comes up short against Hope, 75-52

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team came up short against nationally-ranked and Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association rival Hope College, 75-52, today at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. The Flying Dutch entered the game ranked No. 5 in the WBCA Top 25 poll and No. 7 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll.

The first quarter was back-and-forth, as neither team led by more than three points and there were five tied scores.  With the score knotted at 14-14 with 2:40 left in the period, there was no scoring until the final nine seconds when Hope's Francesca Buchanan made a free throw to complete an old-fashioned three-point play.

The Flying Dutch opened the second half on a 15-4 to take their largest lead of the game, 32-18, at the 5:51 mark. The Comets fought back and trailed by only nine points, 34-25, at halftime.  

Senior Shauni Hankins scored the first two points of the third quarter to make the score 34-27. Hope stretched its lead to as many as 16 points twice, with the last time being 47-31. Olivet battled back to be down only 12 points, 50-38, with 1:49 left in the third stanza. The Flying Dutch netted the final four points of the period to lead by 16, 54-38, going into the final quarter.

The Comets cut their deficit down to 13 points, 56-43, at the 8:15 mark. Olivet would not get any closer, as Hope's margin of victory was its biggest lead.

Hankins led the Comets with 14 points, as well as five rebounds and three assists. Junior Katie McKinnon came off the bench to score 11 points, including a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. She and senior Bre Kidd each grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Senior Leighann Thilo dished out a team-best five assists.

Maura McAfee posted a double-double, 18 points and 15 rebounds, to lead the Flying Dutch. Three other players scored nine points apiece.

Olivet is off until next Saturday, Dec. 12, when it hosts Kalamazoo College at 3 p.m.