"We didn't play our best game but give Olivet some credit for that," Coach John Ross said. "We missed several easy shots and we shot poorly from the free throw line."
Lacking the defensive intensity they usually have, Calvin nearly dropped its first MIAA game of the season as the Comets' Audrey Graham scored 27 points and Olivet shot 52% from the field.
"I don't think a lot of people gave Olivet the credit they deserve," Coach John Ross said. "Audrey Graham is a great player and Olivet is a very good team."
With the win Calvin advances to 22-1 and 15-0 in the MIAA. MIAA Commissioner David Neilson, was on hand to award the Knights with the regular season MIAA championship, it's first since 2004. The MIAA championship is Calvin's seventh as a school this year.
Calvin jumped to an early 13-6 advantage as Lisa Winkle and Marcia Harris combined for all 13 points. Olivet who ranks third in the MIAA in scoring was able to spread the ball around and never trailed by more than seven points. Seven different players scored in the first half for Olivet as the Comets took a 30-28 lead into halftime. It was the first time Calvin trailed at halftime in a conference game this season.
Olivet shot 61.9% from the field in the first half led by Graham who was a perfect 4 of 4 from the field for 9 points. Kristi Brummel was also a perfect 4 of 4 for Calvin to lead with 9 first half points.
In the second half the game was tied at 30-30 and 36-36 as the teams went back and forth for the first eight minutes of the second half before Graham took over. Graham controlled the game just over the midpoint of the second half as she converted a three point play, hit a jump shot, and then drained a three pointer to put the Comets up by 4 points, their largest lead of the game.
With the game tied for the seventh time at 46-46, Brummel hit back to back three pointers as the Knights appeared to be pulling away leading 52-46 with seven minutes left in the game.
However, Kelsey Gordon answered Brummel's three for the Comets and Jaime Kowalczyk hit back to back lay ups off of a Calvin turnover to put Olivet up 55-54 with 4:33 left in the second half.
For the second straight game Calvin struggled from the free throw line allowing Olivet to stay in the game. They finished with just a 33.3% clip (5-of-15) from the charity stripe.
With under three minutes to play and the Knights leading, Harris and Graham traded baskets. Graham's lay up with 40 seconds remaining cut Calvin's lead to two points at 64-62.
Nikki Zimmerman hit one of two free throws to put Calvin 65-62 with 35 seconds left. Olivet elected to take a timeout and went to Amy Brackenwagen, not Graham, for a three point shot that was well off the mark.
Brummel then hit one of two free throws to seal the victory for the Knights.
"It's nice to see different players step up for us. Brummel hit some key shots and Harris had a couple big rebounds," Ross said. Brummel finished the game with 16 points as she was 3 of 7 from three point range, while Harris tallied 17 points and 5 rebounds, 4 of which were offensive.
Lisa Winkle struggled from the field connecting on 8 of 21 shots, but still led the Knights with 18 points and 13 rebounds, her 42nd collegiate double-double. Calvin shot 18.8% from behind the arc and 40.8% from the field. The Knights only scored 19 points off of 24 Olivet turnovers while turning the ball over 12 times themselves.
Even after pulling out the win and receiving the conference trophy, Ross said, "We still have a lot of things we can get a lot better at."
Calvin's conference title is its 11th in women’s basketball, more than any other MIAA member school.
The Knights will travel to Alma on Saturday before kicking off the MIAA tournament at home next Tuesday. Saturday's tip off is scheduled for 3:00p.m. and the game will be broadcasted at www.calvin.edu/sports/ram/calvinsports2.ram