Men’s basketball team clinches share of MIAA title with 70-49 win over Hope

The Olivet College men’s basketball team clinched a share of the 2018 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) title with a 70-49 win over Hope College this evening at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. The Comets can secure the outright title with a win Saturday in its final regular season game at Calvin College.

Men’s basketball team clinches share of MIAA title with 70-49 win over Hope

Team Stats

February 14, 2018

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team clinched a share of the 2018 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) title with a 70-49 win over Hope College this evening at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. The Comets can secure the outright title with a win Saturday in its final regular season game at Calvin College.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Olivet 70, Hope 49
Location: The Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Olivet 15-9 overall, 10-3 MIAA; Hope 15-9 overall, 9-4 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • There were three tied scores early in the game. After the last one at 6-6, the Comets scored seven straight points to go up 13-6. Olivet led by 15 points, 34-19, for its largest lead of the opening half. In the first half, senior Jalen Adams had 15 points and six rebounds. Junior Tracy Edmond netted 10 points.
  • In the second half, the Comets stretched their lead to 19 points twice, 45-26 and 47-28. The Flying Dutchmen battled back with a 13-2 run to cut their deficit down to single digits, 49-41, at the 8:55 mark. Olivet ended the game on a 21-8 run. Of Hope's final eight points, six of them were at the free throw line.

FOR THE COMETS

  • For the game, Olivet shot 45.5 percent (25-of-55) from the floor and 77.3 percent (17-of-22) from the charity stripe.
  • Adams finished the game with 29 points and 14 rebounds.
  • Edmond tallied 24 points.

FOR THE FLYING DUTCHMEN

  • For the game, Hope made 18-of-50 (36 percent) baskets, including 1-of-17 (5.9 percent) from behind the arc and 12-of-20 (60 percent) from the free throw line.
  • Preston Granger scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
  • Jason Beckman and Dante Hawkins had 13 and 10 points, respectively.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

  • Olivet clinched its first MIAA title since 1973 when it shared the title with Calvin. The last outright MIAA title was 1972.
  • The Comets' 15 overall wins matches three other seasons for the sixth-most total victories in a season in school history. The 10 MIAA wins are tied for the third-most MIAA victories in a season.
  • The 21-point margin is the third-highest in school history against Hope. The Flying Dutchmen's 49 points were the fewest they scored in a game this season.

UP NEXT

  • Saturday's game at Calvin College will tip-off at 3 p.m.