Women’s basketball team loses home contest to Kalamazoo, 58-56

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team lost a close 58-56 decision to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Kalamazoo College today at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Kalamazoo 58, Olivet 56
Location: The Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Kalamazoo 6-9 overall, 3-4 MIAA; Olivet 5-11 overall, 1-6 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the first quarter, there were two tied scores and three lead changes. The Comets led by as many as five points twice, with the last time being 14-9. The Hornets made a basket to make the score 14-11 at the end of the quarter.
• In the second quarter, Olivet extended its lead to 13 points, 30-17, at the 2:48 mark. Kalamazoo scored the final six points in the quarter to trail by seven points, 30-23, at the intermission.
• The Hornets kept their run going early in the third quarter, as they scored the first seven points of the quarter to tie the game at 30-30. The teams exchanged baskets until Kalamazoo took a four-point lead, 36-32. The Hornets put six of the final nine points on the scoreboard in the third period to take a 42-35 into the fourth quarter.
• The Comets fought back and were only down two points on two occasions, 46-44 and 48-46. Kalamazoo drained two three-pointers to push their lead back to eight points, 54-46.
• Following another eight-point lead, 56-48, freshman Sydnee Dennis made a three-pointer to make the score 56-51. Junior Shawnee Dame nailed two free throws to close the gap to three points, 56-53. The Hornets made a second-chance basket to go back ahead by five, 58-53.
• Dennis was fouled on a three-point attempt, and drained all three free throws with 9.6 seconds left. Kalamazoo was not able to inbound the ball, resulting in a five-second call. After Olivet called a timeout, a three-point attempt from the right baseline was off the mark and the Hornets grabbed the rebound to seal their win.

FOR THE COMETS

• Both teams made 10 free throws, but Olivet made two more three-pointers, 8-6. The difference in the game was the Scots had 21 baskets compared to 19 for the Comets. Alma had a 32.8 field goal percentage, while the Comets shot 31.7 percent.
• Dame came off the bench to lead Olivet with 16 points.
• Dennis finished with 15 points.
• Freshman Grace Clark scored 11 points.
• Freshman Fayth Talbert grabbed a team-leading seven rebounds.

FOR THE HORNETS

• Isabelle Clark led all scorers with 18 points.
• Emily Kozal registered 12 points. She and Sierra Fraser each pulled down eight rebounds.
• Danielle Simon notched 10 points.

UP NEXT

• Olivet hosts Adrian College next Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 7:30 p.m. Please note the game against Lourdes (Ohio) University that was scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled.