NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's basketball team fell in an 81-74 overtime final against Olivet on Wednesday night.

 

The lead went back-and-forth to start the game with Elle Deardorff sinking a three-pointer for a 3-2 Saint Mary's advantage before connecting on a jumper for a 7-6 lead for the Belles. The teams traded buckets throughout much of the opening stanza. Annie Restovich pulled the Belles within a point at 11-10 with a three-pointer, and a Mary Kate Gareau layup plus the and-one cut the deficit to two at 15-13 with under two minutes remaining. Restovich connected on another three-pointer late, and Saint Mary's was within two points at 18-16 through the first quarter.

 

Athena Samson quickly tied things up with a layup, and Julia Schutz sunk a three-pointer of her own for a 21-18 edge. Kate Restovich added a three-pointer of her own on the next Saint Mary's possession to make it 24-20. The Comets knotted things up at 24-24 midway through the quarter, but Kate Restovich had the answer in the form of a three-pointer for a 27-24 lead. A pair of Caroline Roecker free throws started a 9-0 run for the Belles over the next minute of action. Mary Kate Gareau added a jumper, Annie Restovich hit another three, and Gareau connected on another layup for a 36-26 lead late. A free throw in the final seconds of the quarter by Olivet made it a 36-27 score at the halftime break.

 

Neither team got a shot to fall over the opening two minutes of the third period as the Comets broke the scoreless stretch with a bucket. Kate Restovich and Athena Samson countered with a jumper and an old-fashioned three-point play, respectively, to put the home side up 41-29. Mary Kate Gareau hit a layup midway through the quarter to keep the lead in double-digits at 43-31, but a 9-0 spurt by Olivet made it a 43-40 game with two-plus minutes to go in the period. Annie Restovich hit a big three-pointer for a 46-40 advantage, and Lauren Gumma got a tough layup to take a friendly roll and fall on the next possession for a 48-42 lead as the Belles carried that six-point cushion into the fourth quarter.

 

Athena Samson scored on the Belles' first possession of the fourth quarter, and Elle Deardorff connected on two free throws a minute later for a 52-46 Saint Mary's lead. Samson then hit a big put-back layup to maintain the lead at 54-50 with under seven minutes on the clock. Kate Restovich followed with a response second-chance bucket, and a pair of free throws by Julia Schutz put the Belles up 58-52 with 4:33 on the clock. Elle Deardorff added two free throws of her own to make it 60-55 moments later. After Olivet cut the lead to three, Annie Restovich connected on her fifth three-pointer of the game for a 63-57 lead for the Belles with 2:28 on the clock. The Comets got a layup and two free throws to make it a two-point game with under two minutes to go. Athena Samson hit a free throw for a 64-61 lead, but Olivet responded with a three-pointer to knot the game at 64-64. Kate Restovich responded with a driving layup with 16 seconds on the clock for a two-point lead. The Comets, however, tied things up yet again with a layup of their own as the game went to overtime after neither team scored on their final possessions.

 

The Comets jumped out to a five-point lead in the extra period, but the Belles came right back with free throws by Elle Deardorff and a three-pointer by Julia Schutz. Olivet regained the lead with free throws on their next possession and went ahead 75-71 with a jump shot on their next chance. Kate Restovich hit another tough layup to cut the deficit in half, and Schutz pulled the Belles within one with a free throw at 75-74 with 25 seconds on the clock. The Comets, however, hit their next six free throws while the Belles were unable to get a shot to fall over the final 20 seconds of play in the 81-74 final.

 

The Belles had a 16-13 edge in points off of turnovers, but the Comets used advantages in points in the paint (44-22) and fastbreaks (16-0) in the contest. Saint Mary's hit 10 three-pointers in the game to Olivet's four while the Comets made 21-of-26 free throws to the Belles' 14-of-24.

 

Five players for Saint Mary's scored double-digit points, led by Annie Restovich's 15 points. Kate Restovich added 14 points with three assists and four steals. Mary Kate Gareau was a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor and added a free throw for a career-best 11 points while pulling down five rebounds. Elle Deardorff posted 11 points with two assists and a steal. Athena Samson had her eighth double-double with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with two blocked shots. Julia Schutz added nine points and five rebounds. Caroline Roecker and Lauren Gumma each tallied two points.

The Belles (4-11, 1-5 MIAA) are back at home on Saturday when they host Adrian for a 1:00 p.m. conference game.