Feb. 10, 2010

Final Stats

OLIVET, Mich. - Adrian picked up a tight 62-60 win at Olivet on Wednesday night and improved to 11-10 overall and 7-6 in the MIAA. The Bulldogs are now tied for third place with Saint Mary's in the conference standings with three games left in the regular season. AC will face Kalamazoo at home this Saturday and then hit the road for a game against Calvin a week from today. The team will conclude the season against Hope at home on Feb. 20.

The Comets held a 36-32 lead at halftime. Adrian shot 37.5 percent in the first half and struggled from the arc going 2-for-8. The Bulldogs did a good job of attacking the basket as they went to the foul line 17 times and made 12 for 61.1 percent. Adrian went to the line five more times than Olivet in the first half. The Comets were 32.4 percent shooters and went 3-for-9 from behind the arc in the opening half. Both teams did a fair job controlling the ball as Adrian had seven turnovers compared to eight for OC.

Adrian trailed in the second half until the 9:05 mark when Katie Ross made a pair of free throws giving AC a 49-48 lead. From that point it was a tight one as no one led by more than four points for the duration of the game. In the last four minutes, AC did not give up the lead. Perrin's jumper at 3:11 gave Adrian a 57-54 lead with Ross getting the assist. Stephanie Spehar cut the lead to one with a pair of free throws with 2:47 to play.

Adrian scored the next three points as Perrin split at the free throw line and after a missed triple by Olivet it was Anita Stamps with a layup to give AC a 60-56 lead with 1:37 to go. Caitlin Thilo made a three to cut the lead to one with 1:15 remaining to set up a good finish. Thilo was fouled on the shot but could not complete the rare four-point play at the line.

Ashley McClarren was fouled with 57 seconds to go and made one of two at the stripe to give AC a two-point lead. Thilo was fouled by Ross on the other end and she split a pair missing the second shot which would have tied the game. Adrian had the ball but lost it with 21 seconds to play. Olivet called timeout and set up a play to take the last shot.

Spehar took that shot and got her own rebound before passing it to Kaitlyn Oleskyn. Oleskyn turned it over and Ross stole it before getting fouled with five seconds left. Ross missed the first and made the second at the line as Olivet called another timeout. Spehar missed a three at the buzzer and the Bulldogs picked up a much-needed road win.

Adrian shot 40.9 percent in the second half but could not put Olivet away going 10-for-19 at the foul line. Olivet was just 1-for-10 behind the arc in the second half and went to the line 11 less times than the Bulldogs. Adrian was 22-for-36 at the foul line for the game while Olivet was 16-for-20.

Perrin's 19 points led Adrian on the night. She was 5-for-9 from the field and 7-for-9 at the line. McClarren added 13 points and five rebounds. Ross came off the bench to score 11 points and hit a pair of three-pointers in 29 minutes.