KENTWOOD, Mich. (Interstat) — Maddie Geers had 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks as Davenport rolled past Olivet 99-35 in a women’s NCAA Division II basketball game Tuesday at the Student Center. Davenport improved to 1-0 in front of 125 spectators. Aubree Allen posted 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Kayla Covington added 11 points and five rebounds for the Panthers.

Davenport set the tone immediately. Anna Axtell opened with a 3-pointer, Geers made a layup, and Axtell hit another 3-pointer as the Panthers raced to an early advantage. Geers added a 3-pointer at 6:59 of the first quarter, and Tangee Gagau connected from beyond the arc 32 seconds later to make it 14-2. Axtell made three 3-pointers in the first quarter, while Jada McCree connected twice from beyond the arc late in the period. Deyonce Thompson added a layup and Mya Viegelahn scored inside as Davenport kept the pressure on. The Panthers kept Olivet off balance with quick ball movement and strong interior play, and the visiting team never recovered.

Axtell finished with 15 points, one rebound, one assist and one block in 14 minutes. Geers, a 5-foot-9 guard from Kent City, Michigan, who previously played at Kent City, did much of her work in 24 minutes. Allen, a 6-foot center who previously played at Parma Western, added two assists and one block in 20 minutes. Covington, a 6-foot center who previously played at Arbor Prep, had one assist and two blocks in 15 minutes.

Gagau added 10 points, four rebounds and one assist in 18 minutes. Thompson contributed 11 points, five rebounds and one assist in 14 minutes. Viegelahn had eight points, five rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes. McCree scored 12 points in 18 minutes. Leigha Brown finished with four points, two rebounds and one assist in 15 minutes, and Paige Ringwelski had four points, one rebound and one assist in 15 minutes.

Davenport scored 99 points from 75 possessions, an offensive rating of 132.7. The Panthers collected 17 offensive rebounds, handed out 18 assists, blocked eight shots and committed nine turnovers. Olivet scored 35 points and received contributions from Addilyn Moore, Kaylee Bush, Reese Gohsman and Hannah Hill, but Olivet could not match Davenport’s pace or depth.

The Panthers’ decisive run came early, with Axtell’s shooting and Davenport’s defensive pressure creating separation before Olivet settled into the game. Axtell hit 3-pointers on consecutive early possessions, and Geers scored in transition to help push the margin into double digits. Davenport maintained control through the middle quarters and pulled away further in the fourth, when Covington scored repeatedly inside and Viegelahn added two late layups. Gagau and Thompson also hit 3-pointers after halftime, and Axtell scored in transition as the lead continued to grow. Brown and Sylver Bowles also scored in the closing minutes as the Panthers finished off the lopsided win.

Olivet had brief answers early, including a jump shot from Moore and layups from Bush, but Davenport’s depth and size around the basket proved too much. The visiting team was a non-divisional opponent for Davenport, which used the game to showcase a balanced attack and a defense that produced eight blocks and 17 offensive rebounds. Davenport also got fourth-quarter scoring from Brooke Shockey and Bowles.

Davenport’s next scheduled contest is against Lewis. The Panthers will look to build on a season-opening performance that featured balanced scoring and a strong defensive presence around the basket.