Men’s basketball team loses heartbreaker to Trine, 55-54

ANGOLA, Ind. – The Olivet College men's basketball team lost a heartbreaker to Trine (Ind.) University, 55-54, this afternoon at Hershey Hall in Angola, Indiana. The Comets led for the last 15 minutes of the first half and until there were 2.3 seconds left in regulation when Trine's Will Dixon made the game-tying and game-winning free throws.

After the Thunder took a 6-2 lead at the 17:25 mark, the Comets scored 20 unanswered points over the next eight minutes and 27 seconds to go up 22-6. Trine made a basket before senior Lee Gardner drained a three-pointer for Olivet's largest lead 25-8 with 9:22 left in the first half. Trine chipped away at its deficit and trailed by only nine points at halftime, 33-24.

The Comets stretched their lead back to double digits, 36-26, early in the second half after junior Eric Ewing made a three-pointer. The Thunder closed to within one point, 49-48, at the 3:56 mark. Olivet extended its lead back to three points on three occasions, with the last time being 54-51, with 45 seconds showing on the clock. Dixon made a jump shot in the lane to make the score 54-53.

Following a timeout, Ewing took the ball into the lane and missed a layup with eight ticks left. Trine rushed the ball up the floor and Dixon was fouled on a shot attempt. After Olivet called a timeout, Dixon calmly made the two free throws.

Three Comets reached double figures in the scoring column, led by Gardner's 17 points. He also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Ewing scored 13 points. Sophomore Quintin Way matched his career-high with 12 points. Junior Zach Walker dished out five assists.

The Comets travel to play Alma College next Wednesday, Jan. 27, at 8 p.m.