Men’s basketball team overpowered by Albion, 81-66

ALBION, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team was on the losing end of an 81-66 score to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College this afternoon at Kresge Gym in Albion.

The Britons scored the first four points of the game. The Comets responded with the next five points on a three-pointer by junior Eric Ewing and a layup by junior R.J. Haas to take a 5-4 lead. The teams exchanged baskets until layup by Travell Oakes and Corey Wheeler put the Britons up 10-7.

After Haas cut the Comets' deficit to one with a jump shot, Albion went on an 8-0 run for an 18-9 lead at the 11:12 mark. The Britons extended their lead to 14 points before settling for a 13-point advantage, 39-26, at halftime.

Albion scored 13 of the first 18 points of the second half to gain its largest lead of the game, 52-31, with 15:53 left in regulation. The closest Olivet would get for the rest of the game was 12 points, 54-42, after Ewing knocked down back-to-back three-pointers in a 30-second span.

Ewing finished with a game-high 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting, with four baskets from behind the arc. Senior Lee Gardner added 17 points. Playing in his first varsity game of the season, sophomore Darius Morris was a perfect from 4-for-4 from the floor, including 3-of-3 from "downtown" for 11 points. Junior Zach Walker dished out seven assists.

Four Britons scored in double digits. Wheeler came off the bench to lead the way with 16. Jordan Herron scored 15 and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Oakes and Jaylin Fordham had 12 and 11, respectively.

Olivet will play its final two games of the season next week inside the confines of The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. On Wednesday night, the Comets will face Trine (Ind.) University at 8 p.m., and on Saturday, they will battle MIAA co-leader Alma College at 7:30 p.m.