Women’s basketball team defeats Kalamazoo, 67-42, in MIAA-opener

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team started Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play with a 67-42 victory over Kalamazoo College tonight inside the Cutler Event Center.

• Final Score: Olivet 67, Kalamazoo 42
• Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 2-4 overall, 1-0 MIAA; Kalamazoo 0-6 overall, 0-1 MIAA

• The Comets led for the entire game, as junior Lily Connelly drained a three-pointer on their first possession. In the first quarter, Olivet built a 14-point cushion, 18-4, at the 2:58 mark. The Hornets made the final two baskets of the period to trail by 10 points to begin the second quarter.
• Kalamazoo closed the gap to single digits, 20-12, with 5:49 left in the second quarter. From there, the Comets went on a 11-1 run, including seven points by sophomore Courtney Balazs, to double their advantage, 31-13, with 2:30 remaining before halftime. The teams traded points to crate a 33-17 score at the intermission.
• Olivet increased its lead to as many as 25 points twice in the final 90 seconds of the third quarter. After the last time at 54-29, the Hornets got a three-pointer with nine seconds showing on the clock to make the score 54-32 to start the fourth quarter.
• The Comets' advantage grew to 29 points on two occasions, 61-32 and 63-34, in the fourth quarter.

• Olivet posted a 44.4 field goal percentage compared to 27.3 percent for the Hornets. The Comets also out-rebounded Kalamazoo, 43 to 36, and dished out more assists, 21 to 9 and committed five less turnovers.
• Connelly finished the game with a game-best 17 points, five assists and five steals.
• Balazs contributed 16 points.
• Freshman Megan Mauney added nine points.
• Freshman Kinsley Hatfield grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.

• Balazs' 16 points are a single-game career scoring high. Her previous high was 15 points against Adrian College on February 3, 2022.
• Connelly has scored at least 10 points in four of her first six games at Olivet. She also has 28 assists and 21 steals in six games.
• The Comets' 44.4 field goal percentage was a season high. It was also the highest for Olivet in a game since the season-opener last season.
• The 25-point margin of victory was the largest for the Comets against a MIAA opponent since they defeated Kalamazoo (79-52) on December 12, 2015.
• The last time Olivet played a conference game in the month of November was during the 2018-19 season (11/28/2018)

• Sara English was the only Kalamazoo player to score in double figures, as she had 10 points.
• Kaelyn Arlington and Kackie Brines each scored eight points.
• Brines pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.

• Olivet hosts Albion College Saturday night at 7 p.m.