Women’s Basketball: Olivet defeats Adrian, 46-33

OLIVET, Mich. – The University of Olivet women's basketball team used a superb defensive effort to beat Adrian College, 46-33, in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) game today at the Cutler Event Center.

• Final Score: Olivet 46, Adrian 33
• Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 3-6 overall, 2-2 MIAA; Adrian 6-3 overall, 2-0 MIAA

• In the first quarter, the Bulldogs led 4-2 before a free throw and three-pointer by the Comets made the 6-4 at the 5:27 mark. Olivet scored the next five points to go up 11-4 with 1:29 left in the opening quarter. An Adrian basket made the score 11-6 to start the second quarter.
• Both teams struggled to score any points in the second period. The Comets scored only five points on an "old-fashioned" three-point play by junior Clara Shoales at the 8:13 mark and a jumper by freshman Savannah Brewer at the 4:58 mark. The Bulldogs' three points were on three free throws – two at the 4:07 mark and one with four seconds left in the quarter. In the first 20 minutes of play, Olivet made only 6-of-29 baskets (20.7 percent) compared to 2-of-27 (7.4 percent) for the Bulldogs.
• The Comets extended their lead to nine points on two occasions, with the second time being 28-19, with 2:35 remaining. The Bulldogs put six of the final eight points of the quarter on the scoreboard to trail by five, 30-25, at the start of the final quarter.
• Olivet opened the fourth period on a 14-5 run to take its largest lead of the game, 44-30, at the 5:04 mark. The teams combined for five points – three for Adrian and two for the Comets – over the final five minutes of the contest.
• For the game, Olivet had a 32.8 field goal percentage (19-of-57) to 17.2 percent (11-of-64) for the Bulldogs. The Comets also won the rebounding battle, 52-40.

• Shoales scored 10 points.
• Senior Lily Connelly posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. She also dished out six assists.
• Freshmen Kaylee Bush and Christina Malackanich, and sophomore Kinsley Hatfield each grabbed nine rebounds.

• The 33 points allowed ties for the 10th fewest scored by an Olivet opponent in school history.
• The last MIAA opponent to score 33 or fewer points against the Comets was Kalamazoo when it had 24 on January 20, 1981.
• The last time Olivet scored 46 or less points in a win was February 9, 2019, against Adrian.

• Olivet travels to play Rockford (Ill.) University next Monday, December 18, starting at 7 p.m. ET.