Women’s basketball team beats Cairn, 76-53, to finish with 2-0 record at McDonald’s of Bluffton Holiday Classic

BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Olivet College women's basketball team beat Cairn (Pa.) University, 76-53, to finish with a 2-0 record at the McDonald's of Bluffton Holiday Classic, played inside the Sommer Center at Bluffton University.

Final Score: Olivet 76, Cairn (Pa.) 53
Location: Sommer Center; Bluffton, Ohio
Records: Cairn 0-11 overall, Olivet 4-8 overall

• In the first quarter, OIivet led by five points, 11-6, after freshman Zara Weber made back-to-back three-pointers. The teams traded 4-0 runs for a 15-10 Comet lead at the end of the opening stanza.
• The Comets increased their lead to 10 points, 28-18, at the 4:42 mark of the second quarter after they made three straight triples – two by freshman Hannah Brown and one by senior Amari Brown. The Highlanders closed the gap to six points before four consecutive Olivet points made the score 32-22. A Cairn three-pointer caused the score to be 32-25 at halftime.
• The Comets extended their lead to 20 points, 53-33, with 2:02 remaining in the third quarter. The Highlanders trailed by 18 points, 58-40, to start the fourth period.
• Olivet pushed its advantage to as many as 25 points, 65-40, at the 7:02 mark of the final quarter. Cairn did not get any closer than 19 points for the rest of the game.

• For the game, the Comets made 27 baskets, including 11 from behind the three-point arc, and 11 free throws for their 76 points.
• Hannah Brown finished with a season-high and team-best 17 points, with 5-of-11 shooting from three-point territory.
• Amari Brown, junior DeeDee Post and junior Fayth Talbert each scored 10 points.
• Weber tallied nine points, while freshman Rachel Swartz had a season-best eight points.
• Senior Tammy Lee dished out 10 assists and grabbed seven rebounds.
• Senior Jazmin Hildebrand pulled down a team-best 10 rebounds.

• Cairn made 14 baskets, with four triples, and 21 free throws for its 53 points.
• Dakota Hitchner posted a double-double with team-best 25 points and 10 rebounds. Thirteen of her points came at the charity stripe.
• Jenna Krage added eight points.

• Olivet's 76 points were a season-high for a game.
• Today's game was the first-ever in school history against Cairn, a member of the Colonial States Athletic Conference.

• The Comets resume their Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association schedule Saturday, Jan. 4, when they go on the road to play Saint Mary's (Ind.) College at 3 p.m.