Men’s basketball team gives up late lead in 79-71 loss at Albion

The Olivet College men’s basketball team let a 13-point second-half lead slip away in a 79-71 loss to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College this evening at Kresge Gym in Albion.

Box Score

Team Stats

Photo by Chris Zadorozny, Holland Sentinel
Photo by Chris Zadorozny, Holland Sentinel
January 18, 2017

ALBION, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team let a 13-point second-half lead slip away in a 79-71 loss to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College this evening at Kresge Gym in Albion.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Albion 79, Olivet 71
Location: Kresge Gym; Albion, Mich.
Records: Olivet 6-10 overall, 2-3 MIAA; Albion 5-11 overall, 2-3 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • In the first half, the Comets scored the first four points and held two more four-point advantages, 8-4 and 12-8.
  • The Britons came back to take a six-point lead, 18-12, at the 9:27 mark.
  • Albion took its largest lead of the game at halftime, 36-26.
  • Olivet chipped away at its deficit and eventually go ahead 43-40 after four consecutive three-pointers – three for sophomore Thomas Tsalkitzis and one for senior Chris Chrzan.
  • The Comets then grabbed its largest lead of the game, 57-44, after senior Eric Ewing made a free throw to complete an "old-fashioned" three-point play with 10:33 remaining.
  • Olivet led by 10 points, 65-55, at the 6:19 mark.
  • The Britons then ripped off a 10-0 run over the next two minutes and 25 seconds to tie the game.
  • The lead changed three times before Albion took the lead for good with 44 ticks left.
  • The Britons made all five of their free throws in the final 44 seconds to seal the win.

FOR THE COMETS

  • Ewing led Olivet with 23 points to go along with six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
  • Tsalkitzis finished with a career-high 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting from three-point range.
  • Chrzan scored eight points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.
  • Junior Jordan Terry registered a game-high eight assists.

FOR THE BRITONS                                           

  • Corey Wheeler and Dylan Bennett each scored 16 points for Albion.
  • Jason Zahran had a double-double, 15 points and 13 rebounds.

UP NEXT

  • Olivet welcomes the Trine (Ind.) University Thunder to The Cutler Event Center Saturday afternoon for a basketball doubleheader. The Comet women plays Trine at 3 p.m., followed by the men's game at approximately 5:30 p.m.