BOURBONNAIS, Ill. –  The Olivet Nazarene University women's basketball team completes the second half comeback on Senior Day over Holy Cross College winning 98-84 Saturday afternoon. Caroline Boehne registers her sixth double-double of the season with a career-high 18 rebounds.

Holy Cross took the lead early in the game shooting 60 percent from the floor to Olivet Nazarene's 25 percent. The Tigers kept the Saints within reach but attempted nine more shots and made a three to HCC's zero despite going 1-11 from distance. Holy Cross led by as much as nine with 2:22 left. Katie Engle's three-point basket sparked an 8-2 run to cut into the deficit with the period ending 20-15.

ONU started to get hot from three-point land making five threes in the second period. The Saints stayed efficient from the floor shooting 55 percent. The side from Indiana built back their 11-point lead with under 2:52 remaining in the half before back-to-back threes from Karina Smits and Avery Curry brought the score to 36-31. Holy Cross laid in a bucket as time expired to take an eight-point lead into the locker room.

Halftime: Holy Cross 42, Olivet Nazarene 34

Zanna Myers set the tone for the Tigers draining a three in their first offensive possession and taking a charge in the following defensive possession. Boehne added three more points with a layup through contact with the and-one to make it a two-point game 50 seconds into the quarter. A Myers steals to a Boehne layup gave ONU their first lead of the ball game at the 4:31 mark. Olivet finished the quarter on an 18-8 run to build a 12-point lead going into the final quarter.


Boehne shut down the Saints in the final quarter scoring seven points with a perfect 3-3 from the floor and 1-1 from the line. She grabbed five rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end of the floor. Kennedy Johnson tallied 10 points which grew the largest lead of the ball game at 22. Olivet went on to take their ninth conference win of the season.

Game Vitals

Final: Olivet Nazarene 98, Holy Cross 84

Records: Olivet Nazarene 12-8 (CCAC 9-4) | Holy Cross 11-9 (CCAC 6-7)

Location: McHie Arena | Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais, Ill.

Quick Hits

• Zanna Myers swiped a season-high 7 steals and jumps to 11^th all-time in program history.
• Kennedy Johnson doled out a game-high 7 assists to go with 14 points.
• The Tigers outrebounded the Saints 58-42 on the day.
• ONU's bench outscored HCC 52-27
• Five different players for Olivet tallied double figures in the contest.

Senior Day

Olivet Nazarene celebrated the careers of seven senior players prior to the game. Kennedy Johnson, Zanna Myers, Karina Smits, Avery Curry, Caroline Boehne, Kaitlyn Clark, and Katie Engle. Collectively with their teammates, these seniors have amassed a record of 73-34 over their four years.  They have won two CCAC Tournament Championships, set the women's basketball all-time record for most -pointers made in a game with 36, and have advanced to the NAIA National Championship each year.  In addition, they hold numerous NAIA offensive and defensive team records.  This season they are ranked in the top 5 in the NAIA in 9 statistical categories and are currently averaging 92 points per game.  

The Tigers are on the road next week as they travel to Calumet to take on The Crimson Wave. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m on Wednesday, Jan. 26. Please visit onutigers.com for all the up-to-date links to follow all of the action.

--ONU—

*Contact: Patrick Kaindl, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, pkaindl@olivet.edu