TIGERBALL HOLDS OFF AVE MARIA AT THE WARNER TOURNAMENT IN FLORIDA | Photo Credits: Jackson Harvey
TIGERBALL HOLDS OFF AVE MARIA AT THE WARNER TOURNAMENT IN FLORIDA | Photo Credits: Jackson Harvey
The Olivet Nazarene University women's basketball team opened the Warner University Tournament with a 78-75 victory over Ave Maria Friday afternoon. ONU led by as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter, but the Gyrenes fought back to take a late lead. Khendel Rolison's three-point basket followed by Caroline Boehne free throws in the final moments proved to be the difference.
The Tigers were all over AMU in the first 4:30 of the contest. Ave Maria made their first three-point attempt of the game at the 9:27 mark, but would not convert their next field goal until only 40 seconds left in the first quarter. ONU led by 13 points before the Gyrenes ended the period on an 8-0 run.
The late first-quarter run woke up the Ave Maria offense. They outscored Olivet Nazarene 21-16 to level the score at 39-39 heading into halftime.
The Tigers exited the locker room to have their best 10-minute stretch in the third quarter. Bett O'Neal filled the bucket scoring 11 of ONU's 20 points for the period. The freshman guard was 4-6 from the floor in the quarter and went through a hot streak making back-to-back-to-back three-point buckets in a two-minute span. The Tigerball defense found a groove holding the opposition to a game-low 11 points in the third. They forced six turnovers and held AMU to 26% from the floor.
Olivet held an 11-point lead with seven minutes left in the game before the Gyrenes went on a 19-6 run to take their first lead of the half at 71-70 and 2:15 left to play. To secure the win, Maggie Cora and Rolison each dropped in big three-point baskets followed by Boehne's converted free throws in the final seconds.
Five different Tigers scored in double figures on the day. Boehne led the team with 20 points, her third straight game totaling 20 or more. Cora and O'Neal each tallied 13 points, Olivia Demosthenese added 12, and Rolison contributed 10 off the bench. ONU turned over AMU 27 times and outscored the Navy and Kelly Green 36-26 inside the paint, proving to be the difference in the outcome.
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