RICHMOND, Ind. - The Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) women's basketball team put on a clinic Saturday afternoon, dominating Indiana University East with an 83-57 road win.

The Tigers came out firing in the first quarter, opening the scoring with a three-pointer from Preslee Michael. Indiana East quickly responded with a three of their own to tie the game, but Olivia Dirkse put the Tigers back on top with another three-pointer, giving ONU a 6-3 lead. Despite some back-and-forth play, the Tigers quickly asserted themselves, building a 19-14 advantage at the end of the first. The Red Wolves struggled offensively, shooting just 40% from the field in the opening quarter, while ONU took advantage of their opportunities. Michael was key early, finishing with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Dirkse added 8 points, 3 rebounds and an assist.

The second quarter was all about defense for ONU. The Tigers suffocated Indiana East, holding them to just 9 points and 18.2% shooting. Meanwhile, ONU's offense may have cooled slightly, but they managed to stay in control, extending their lead to 29-23 at halftime. Brooklyn Marshall's gritty play on both ends of the floor kept the Tigers' momentum going, as she contributed 7 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists, playing a key role in ONU's domination on the boards, where they out-rebounded the Red Wolves 67-55 overall. 

After the break, ONU came out with a vengeance, outscoring Indiana East 32-19 in the third quarter. This was the Tigers' most explosive period, thanks in part to a scorching 40% shooting from the field and 35.7% from three-point range. Michael led the charge, hitting two 3-pointers while also grabbing a rebound and an assist. On the defensive end, ONU's pressure caused Indiana East to struggle, particularly from beyond the arc, where they went 0-7 in the third quarter. The Tigers took a commanding 61-42 lead into the final period, putting the game well out of reach. 

The fourth quarter was more of the same as ONU put the finishing touches on the win, outscoring Indiana East 22-15. Several Tigers stepped up in the final period, including Khendel Rolison, who finished with 13 points, 4 rebounds and an assist. The Tigers continued to dominate inside, scoring another 8 points in the paint, and they maintained their defensive pressure, limiting Indiana East's opportunities. The Tigers' bench was also critical in maintaining the lead, contributing 33 points compared to just 12 for Indiana East's reserves.

Looking Ahead

ONU will open conference play on November 20th with a road game at Saint Xavier University at 5:00 PM CST. The Tigers will look to carry their momentum from this commanding victory into their conference opener, as they aim to continue improving and making noise in the conference standings.

--ONU—

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