CORA HITS GAME-WINNER AS TIGERS ADVANCE TO CCAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Olivet Nazarene (17-3) | 18 | 9 | 22 | 21 | 70 |
|
St. Francis (Ill.) (22-6) | 17 | 14 | 15 | 22 | 68 |
JOLIET, Ill. – In a matchup that will not soon be forgotten, the Tigers upset the Fighting Saints of St. Francis, for the second time this season, to advance to the CCAC Tournament Championship!
This game was particularly low scoring, with both teams having a tough time getting around the opponent's defense. The only member of the Tiger's that really found her footing offensively was Kennedy Johnson (JR/Romulus, Mich.), who would tally a game-high 22 points. Late in the first quarter Johnson quickly drove through the lane to convert a layup to tie up the contest at 14. This was followed by a Caroline Boehne (JR/Hoffman, Ill.) layup to give the Tiger's their first lead of the game. Then in the second quarter, the Saints converted a handful of clutch baskets to regain the lead, but the Tigers did not falter. Olivia Demosthenes (FR/Bloomington, Ill.) hit a huge three-pointer to retake the lead at the seven-minute mark, but again the Saints found an answer. Then with time winding down in the half, Johnson and Avery Curry (JR/Chicago, Ill. ) converted layups to stay in the game. At halftime, the Tigers would trail by just four.
Halftime: ONE 27, USF 31
Jumping into the second half, the Tigers saw contributors from all over the court, with six different players converting huge baskets to keep the game in hand. Zanna Myers (JR/Monticello, Ill.) nailed a three-pointer with four minutes left in the third quarter to tie the game, and then would be the one to regain the lead on a layup as the quarter wrapped up. Going into the final period, the Tigers held a three-point lead.
In the fourth quarter, the Tigers compiled a 13-point lead at one point, thanks to a three-pointer by Karina Smits (JR/Pewaukee, Wis.), but the Fighting Saints stormed back to make it a three-point game with a minute left of action. A massive steal by Kennedy Johnson led to a pair of made free throws for the Tigers, but there was still work to do. After a pair of made shots on the other end, the game was tied with just eight seconds left. On the final possession, Johnson missed a tough layup, but Maggie Cora (SO/Lizton, Ind.) scooped up the offensive board and put back a layup to clinch the game as time expired.
GAME VITALS
Score: Olivet Nazarene – 70 | St. Francis – 68
Records: Olivet Nazarene – 16-3 (10-2) | St. Francis – 22-5 (9-2)
Location: University of St. Francis | Joseph | Joliet, Ill. | Pat Sullivan Center
CCAC Tournament Semifinals
STAT TRACKER
- Kennedy Johnson: 22 points, four rebounds, four steals, three assists
- Caroline Boehne: eight points, six rebounds, two blocks
- Zanna Myers: eight points, four rebounds, one steal
- Karina Smits: eight points, one rebound
- Maggie Cora: six points, seven rebounds, three steals
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Tigers will wait to see who their opponent will be in the CCAC Tournament championship. This matchup will take place on Monday, March 1st with the host and time yet to be determined. The winner will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships.
*ONU streaming network: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/olivet/
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Contact: Brenten Couch, Sports Information GA, bjcouch@olivet.edu