Powered by a 40-point second quarter, Saint Xavier hustled their way to a convincing 115-91 victory over No. 23 Olivet Nazarene University. Junior guard Kara Krolicki led the way in scoring 29 points, while junior center Brittany Collins recorded her 11th double-double of the season.
The Cougars suffered a difficult 69-68 loss to Cardinal Stritch University prior to the contest on January 21. Following the team’s second defeat of the year, Saint Xavier’s mentality remained steady going into Saturday.
“The Cardinal Stritch game was not in our mind,” stated Collins after scoring 24 points, reeling in 13 rebounds and tying a career high with seven blocked shots. “Our team is really good at having the same mindset and attitude going into each game.”
Losses are few and far between in regards to the women’s basketball team, as they have faltered only six times in 49 games dating back to last year. Their performance against the Tigers of Olivet is a testament to the Cougars’ work ethic under head coach Bob Hallberg.
“In basketball, there is no relationship between one game and the next,” said the Hall of Fame head coach. “You have to show up and play every night regardless who your opponent is.”
Saint Xavier showed up in a big way Saturday, as six players finished with double digit scoring efforts. Senior Mikayla Leyden added to Krolicki and Collins’ combined 53 points with 20 of her own, while freshman Chanel Fanter and junior Casey McMahon scored 16 and 10, respectively.
The Cougars wanted to counter Olivet Nazarene’s fast paced style of play with a game plan that centered around Brittany Collins. Taking advantage of Collins’ size, Saint Xavier’s offense filtered through the post, which allowed shooters like Krolicki, Leyden, Fanter, and McMahon to find separation from behind the three-point line.
The strategy proved to be effective. The Cougars’ finished with 66 points in the paint, while knocking down seven of 13 three-point field goal attempts.
Coach Hallberg praised Collins in a postgame interview after she logged a game-high 34 minutes of playing time. “It’s hard for a center to play that many minutes with that style of play and not get tired,” Hallberg said.
Saint Xavier will salvage another victory over a top-25 opponent. However, the Cougars understand there is work to be done in an effort to achieve the highest goal of the sport.
One particular focus of improvement Hallberg stressed postgame is to, “concentrate, as a team, at defending the dribble.” Defense has been a strong point for the women this season, as they currently own a scoring margin of +28.6.
With the win, Saint Xavier boasts a 19-2 overall record and is set to face Trinity International University on the road Wednesday, January 25. Tip-off is at 5:30 PM and can be listened to live on WXAV.com or 88.3 FM.
Mike Rankin
Senior Sports Editor