Women’s Basketball: Olivet wins overtime thriller at Saint Mary’s, 81-74

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Olivet women's basketball team rallied from 12-point deficit to post a thrilling 81-74 overtime win against Saint Mary's (Ind.) College in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) contest this evening at the Angela Athletic Center.

• Final Score: Olivet 81, Saint Mary's 74 (OT)
• Location: Angela Athletic Center; Notre Dame, Indiana
• Records: Olivet 6-9 overall, 3-3 MIAA; Saint Mary's 4-11 overall, 1-5 MIAA

• After the Belles took a 7-6 lead around the midpoint of the opening quarter, the Comets reeled off five straight points to go up 11-7. Saint Mary's made a three-pointer to cut its deficit down to a point before back-to-back baskets by sophomore Kinsley Hatfield pushed Olivet's advantage back to five points. An old-fashioned three-point play for the Belles made the score 15-13 but senior Madison Bailey drained a three-pointer to make the score 18-13. Saint Mary's scored the last three points of the quarter to trail by two points, 18-16, at the start of the second period.
• The Belles scored eight of the first 10 points of the second quarter to take a 24-20 lead. The Comets scored four straight points to level the score. Saint Mary's answered with a 12-3 spurt over the final four minutes and 35 seconds of the quarter to lead by nine, 36-27, at halftime.
• Early in the third quarter, the Belles stretched their lead to 12 points, 41-29. Olivet fought back to trim its shortfall to three points, 43-40, when Bailey canned another triple at the 2:19 mark. Saint Mary's pushed its lead back to six points, 48-42, to begin the fourth quarter.
• The Comets started the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to make the score 52-50 with 7:57 left in the game. Saint Mary's came back to take a 63-57 lead at the 2:28 mark. Olivet chipped away at the deficit and tied the game at 64-64 when junior Clara Shoales made a three-pointer with 26 seconds left. Those were her first three points of the game.
• The Belles answered with a basket at the other end before senior Lily Connelly made a layup to even the score at 66-66 with nine seconds showing on the clock. Saint Mary's called a timeout to be able to inbound the ball in the front court. The Belles were whistled for an offensive foul with 6.5 seconds left. Olivet used a 30-second timeout to set-up a play. The Comets turned the ball over to send the game to overtime.
• Olivet scored the first five points of the extra period. Saint Mary's scored the next five points to tie the game, 71-71. A 4-0 Comet run put them up, 75-71, at the 1:28 mark. The Belles made a basket and split a pair of free throws to make the score, 75-74, with 25 seconds left. Connelly was a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe to seal Olivet's come-from-behind win.

• Connelly finished the game with a double-double, 17 points and 11 rebounds.
• Hatfield stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals.
• Freshman Christina Malackanich joined them in double figures with 10 points. She also had three blocks.
• Freshman Anna Honnen came off the bench to score eight points.

• Olivet hosts Calvin University Saturday for the first game of a doubleheader inside the Cutler Event Center, starting at 1 p.m. After the women's game, the Comet men also play Calvin, tipping-off at approximately 3 p.m.