COLUMBUS, Ohio - A sensational second half by the Malone University women's basketball team led to a 63-52 win on the road at Ohio Dominican University on Thursday. The Pioneers struggled to gain their footing in the first half but gathered around their upperclassmen to move to 14-4 overall and 7-3 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). The Panthers are now 7-10 and 2-7 inside the league.
 
Senior Erin Kaufman, senior Brinn Hunt and junior Irene Maroto made field goals early to put Malone up 7-2, but from that point on, it was all Ohio Dominican. The Pioneers were scoreless for over seven minutes of game time and the Panthers went on a 15-0 run before sophomore Kylee Bruce sank a mid-range jump shot to end the drought. She would strike once more for two just before the first quarter buzzer, but the team trailed 17-11 after ten minutes.
 
An 0-for-5 start from deep put a sour taste in Malone's mouth in the opening minutes of quarter number two. Ohio Dominican extended their lead to 24-15 at the media timeout and continued to push the pace by countering two-point field goals by the Pioneers with threes. Junior Elena Oliver finally broke through with a three with 1:33 to go in the quarter to break a streak of eight consecutive misses. She buried another from distance just before halftime where Malone trailed 33-23.
 
The Pioneers were 10-for-38 (26.3%) at the break and 3-of-13 (23.1%) from deep. Malone had ten offensive rebounds in the first half, but only turned those extra chances into four second chance points. The Panthers were efficient at 13-for-27 (48.1%) at the break and 4-of-6 (66.7%) from long range.
 
A talk with Head Coach Selana Ickes proved effective in a 24-7 third quarter difference in favor of the Pioneers. After a sluggish start, Malone was 5-for-7 from three-point land in the period and 9-of-14 overall. The defense held Ohio Dominican to just 3-for-17 in total. Back-to-back threes by redshirt sophomore Meredith Randulic capped off a key 13-0 scoring run for the visitors. It was a 47-40 advantage for the Pioneers to begin the fourth quarter.
 
Oliver continued her career night in the fourth quarter to tilt the lead to as many as 12 at 56-44. She laid claim to 11 of the team's 16 fourth quarter points and finished the contest with 23, a new high mark in her career. Rebounding was key to widening the gap - Malone won the battle 22-11 in the second half alone and 44-32 for the game. Kaufman brought down a career-high 18 boards in the 63-52 win.
 
Oliver was 10-for-16 from the field herself en route to the game-high 23 points. Kaufman (14) and Bruce (10) were also double-digit scorers. Nine of Kaufman's 18 rebounds were on the offensive end of the floor and the Pioneers had 18 second chance opportunities in the game.
 
Up next, Malone will return home to face their rival Walsh University Cavaliers on Saturday, January 24. Tip-off is set for 1:00 P.M.