Women’s basketball team defeats Saint Mary’s, 55-49

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 55-49 win over Saint Mary's (Ind.) College in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) contest tonight at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Olivet 55, Saint Mary's 49
Location: The Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Saint Mary's 5-14 overall, 3-8 MIAA; Olivet 6-14 overall, 2-9 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Belles scored the first four points and that would be their largest lead of the opening quarter. They never trailed in the first quarter, leading by a 13-10 at the end of it.
• The teams combined to score just 15 points in the second quarter, as Saint Mary's took a 13-10 lead into the halftime break. Olivet's seven points were on a jump shot and two free throws by sophomore Amari Brown, and a three-pointer by junior Shannon Dingman. The Belles' eight points were on four baskets.
• Saint Mary's extended its lead to eight points, 27-19, at the 7:19 mark of the third quarter. The Comets responded with a 16-4 run to take a four-point lead, 35-31, with 2:57 remaining in the third period. The Belles countered with a 5-0 run over the next minute and 51 seconds to take the lead back, 36-35. Olivet scored the final three points of the quarter to go ahead 38-36 to start the final quarter.
• At the 5:49 mark of the fourth quarter, the Comets held a nine-point lead, 48-39. Saint Mary's made two baskets to close the gap to five points before Olivet used a 6-0 run to take the largest lead for either team, 54-43, with 1:07 left in the contest. The Belles used a late push to create the final six-point margin.

FOR THE COMETS

• For the game, Olivet made 17 baskets compared to 20 for Saint Mary's. The difference in the game was the Comets drained four shots from behind the arc, while the Belles had zero three-pointers. Olivet also canned 17-of-27 free throws to 9-of-16 shooting from the charity stripe for Saint Mary's.
• The Comets used a balanced scoring attack.
• Freshmen Grace Clark and Fayth Talbert shared team-high honors with nine points each.
• Freshmen Sydnee Dennis and Grace White, and junior Shawnee Dame scored eight points apiece.
• Talbert pulled down 10 rebounds.

FOR THE BELLES

• Giavanna Paradiso scored a game-high 21 points.
• Gabby Diamond posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The 49 points by Saint Mary's was the fewest points allowed by the Comets this season.
• The last time an opponent did not make a three-pointer was Trine (Ind.) University on Jan. 16, 2016.

UP NEXT

• Olivet welcomes Trine to The Cutler Event Center next Wednesday, Jan. 31, for a 7:30 p.m. game.