Men’s basketball team suffers 70-67 loss to Albion

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team began the second half of its Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) schedule with a 70-67 setback to Albion College tonight at the Cutler Event Center in Olivet.

Final Score: Albion 70, Olivet 67
Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Albion 13-6 overall, 6-2 MIAA; Olivet 10-9 overall, 6-2 MIAA

• The Britons led by five points twice on the first six minutes and 36 seconds of the game. After the last time at 15-10, the Comets went on an 8-0 run to take an 18-15 lead. Albion responded with a 10-2 run to go back up by five points, 25-20. Olivet answered by scoring nine of the next 10 points to take the lead back, 29-26, with six minutes left until halftime.
• The Britons seized the lead back with four straight points before a 6-1 run put the Comets on top 35-31. Albion made a layup and two free throws to tie the game for the sixth time. A layup by junior Trevor Manuel handed the lead back to Olivet at halftime, 37-35.
• The Comets were able to extend their lead to as many as six points in the second half. A slam dunk by Manuel made the score 58-52 with 5:13 remaining in the game. Six straight Albion points leveled the score at the 3:34 mark.
• Senior Colin Jones drained a three-pointer for the go-ahead score. The Britons countered with a 6-0 run to take their own three-point lead, 64-61, with 1:24 showing on the game clock. Senior Dee Roberts tied the game with a three-pointer.
• Albion made two free throws to go ahead 66-64 with 42.1 seconds left. The Comets were called for an offensive foul on its next possession. Forced to foul, the Britons hit two more free throws. Olivet missed another basket. An Albion player grabbed the rebound, and after another Comet foul, the Britons split two tosses from the charity stripe to make the score 69-64.
• Jones rattled in a three-pointer to close the gap to 69-67 with 7.5 ticks remaining. After an Olivet foul, Albion made one of two free throws. Jones pulled down the rebound, and a last-second three-point attempt bounced off the rim.

• For the game, Olivet made four more baskets than the Britons, 28-24. Both teams had five three-pointers. The difference in the game was Albion made 17-of-22 free throws compared to 6-of-8 for the Comets.
• Manuel scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
• Jones had 20 points, seven rebounds and four steals.
• Senior Diangelo Carlton also notched eight rebounds, including four off the offensive glass.
• Senior Tracy Edmond tallied nine points and nine assists.

• Caden Ebeling led all scorers with 25 points and had a team-leading eight rebounds.
• Arshawn Parker finished with 15 points and four assists.
• Jamezell Davis Jr. scored 10 points.

• The Comets welcome Trine (Ind.) University to the Cutler Event Center next Wednesday, Jan. 30. Game time is scheduled at 7:30 p.m.