TIGERBALL TAKES DOWN FIGHTING SAINTS

BOURBONNAIS, IL. - Olivet Nazarene University's women's basketball team roared to a 99-80 victory over the University of St. Francis Fighting Saints on Saturday afternoon at home.

The Fighting Saints drew first blood with a quick three-pointer, but ONU responded with a flurry of their own. Olivia Dirkse drained a crucial three to put the Tigers ahead by four points heading into the final seconds of the quarter. USF wouldn't go down without a fight, however, as they snuck in a layup with just eight seconds remaining to narrow the gap to a single point, 28-27.

ONU wasted no time in the second period, embarking on a 7-point run to widen the gap. Their hot shooting continued, with four consecutive threes extending their lead to double digits. St. Francis refused to go down without a fight, chipping away at the deficit and closing the gap to six points by halftime, 52-46.

The third quarter saw both teams trade baskets early on, but ONU seized the initiative with back-to-back threes from Khendel Rolison and Grace Schutt, pushing their lead to 12 points. Capitalizing on free throws and layups down the stretch, the Tigers maintained their advantage despite USF's attempts to close the gap. The quarter ended with ONU comfortably ahead, 77-60.

Dirkse opened the fourth with another three, keeping the Tigers in control. St. Francis continued to battle, closing the gap to ten points with a timely three-pointer. However, ONU's defense tightened up, and they answered with key baskets to maintain their lead. The final minutes saw some tense moments, but the Tigers never relinquished control, ultimately securing a well-deserved 99-80 victory.

What's Next

The Tigers will look to build on their momentum as they host the Indiana University Northwest RedHawks on Feb. 7th. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. CST.

--ONU—

*Contact Anyssa Hampton, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, ahampton@olivet.edu