PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. – Olivet Nazarene University’s (ONU) women’s basketball team controlled both ends of the floor Saturday, rolling to a 127-40 win over Trinity Christian College in conference play. The Tigers controlled the game from start to finish, knocking down 26 three-pointers and using a balanced scoring effort to secure their second highest point total of the season.
The Tigers set the tone early with a 41-point first quarter, nearly doubling the Trolls’ total for the entire game. Olivia Dirkse was nearly unstoppable from beyond the arc, draining three triples on her way to 11 first-quarter points. Khendel Rolison added nine, also connecting on three shots from deep, while ONU’s defense suffocated Trinity Christian, holding them to 12.5% shooting from the field.
ONU kept up its scoring pace in the second quarter, outscoring the Trolls 30-2 to extend the lead to 71-8 at halftime. Dirkse knocked down three more threes, bringing her total to seven for the game, while Lindsey Nell and Madison Smith chipped in from the perimeter as well. The Tigers forced turnovers and capitalized in transition, racking up 50 points off Trinity Christian’s giveaways.
Trinity Christian found some rhythm offensively after the break, but ONU continued to pour it on. Jayden Flagg provided a spark, scoring nine of her 14 points in the third quarter while knocking down three triples. Lilly Dockemeyer also stepped up, adding a three-pointer and helping the Tigers maintain their stranglehold on the game with a 100-22 lead heading into the final period.
ONU closed out the game with another strong quarter, outscoring the Trolls 27-18 in the fourth. Dockemeyer led the way with eight of her 13 points in the final frame, while Rolison scored six to finish with 15. Nell added four to bring her total to 10, and Smith chipped in three to end with 12. Flagg finished with 14 points, while Dirkse, who led all scorers, finished with 23. ONU’s dominant performance resulted in a 127-40 victory.
Looking Ahead
ONU returns home for its next game, a conference matchup against Indiana University South Bend on Feb. 19th. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. CST at McHie Arena.
–ONU—
*Contact Anyssa Hampton, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, ahampton@olivet.edu
