Men’s basketball team loses at Hope, 97-76

HOLLAND, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team lost 97-76 to Hope College in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) contest this evening at the DeVos Fieldhouse in Holland.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Hope 97, Olivet 76
Location: DeVos Fieldhouse; Holland, Mich.
Records: Olivet 5-8 overall, 1-1 MIAA; Hope 9-4, 2-0 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Flying Dutchmen made eight of their first 11 baskets, including three from behind the arc, to build a 14-point advantage, 20-6.
• Junior Quintin Way drained a three-pointer to make the score 20-9.
• Hope answered with another three-pointer and would not get any closer for the rest of the half.
• At halftime, the Flying Dutchmen held a 32-point cushion, 54-22, behind 65.5 percent shooting (19-of-29) from the floor. They also made 9-of-16 (56.3 percent) three-pointers. In comparison, the Comets shot 27.6 percent (8-of-29) from the floor.
• After falling behind by 30 points, 77-47, at the 8:02 mark of the second half, Olivet was able to able to trim its deficit in half, 85-70, over the next four minutes.
• The Comets had one push to get and got the gap down to 13 points, 87-74.
• The Flying Dutchmen ended the game on a 10-2 run to create the final score.

FOR THE COMETS

• Senior Eric Ewing paced Olivet with a game-best in points (17) and rebounds (seven).
• Sophomore Griffin Lewis came off the bench to score 11 points on four-of-four baskets, with one try, and two-of-two free throws.
• Way and senior Aaron Washington netted 10 points apiece.
• Junior P.J. Trammell made his second start of the season and dished out four assists.

FOR THE FLYING DUTCHMEN                    

• Chad Carlson was one of four players to score in double figures, as he tallied a team-leading 15 points.
• Harrison Blackledge contributed 13 points, while Dante Hawkins and Robert McGivney finished with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
• McGivney and Cody Stuive each grabbed seven rebounds.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Lewis entered tonight's game with 16 total points this season. He had not scored more than five points in a single game. 

UP NEXT

• Olivet stays on the road to face Calvin College next Wednesday, Jan. 11. Tip-off at the VanNoord Arena in Grand Rapids is 8 p.m. Before that, the Comets will play an exhibition contest Monday night at Fort Wayne (formerly known as IPFW) at 7 p.m.