Men's basketball team comes up just short against Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio), 74-71

Junior Jeff Cooper (Dowagiac) scored a career-high 22 points, but the Olivet College men's basketball team came up just short against Baldwin-Wallace College, 74-71, this afternoon at the Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea, Ohio. B-W (3-1) was ranked No. 6 in the latest d3hoops.com Top 25 poll.

The Comets (1-3) led by six points, 9-3, at the 17:05 mark of the first half. The Yellow Jackets answered with a 7-0 run to take a 10-9 lead. Following ties at 16-16, 18-18 and 20-20, the B-W scored six straight points to take their biggest lead, 26-20, with 5:16 left before halftime. At the intermission, the Yellow Jackets had a 33-30 lead.

In the second half, Olivet erased its deficit and went up by six points on two occasions with the last time being 57-51 with 11:16 remaining. B-W chipped away at the Comet lead and eventually tied the game at 66-66. After a 70-70 tie, the Yellow Jackets made two free throws to give them a 72-70 lead.

Freshman Joel Kerns (North Judson, Ind.) canned a free throw to make the score 72-71. B-W missed a three-pointer on its next trip down the floor. Olivet grabbed the defensive rebound and trailed by one point with less than 25 seconds left in the contest. On the Comets' miss shot, Louis Tumblin pulled down the rebound and was fouled. He made both free throws to create the final margin.

Cooper made eight-of-13 field goals, including six-of-10 from three-point range, for his 22 points. He also grabbed a team-high five rebounds. Junior Brandon Way (Detroit/Southwestern) joined Cooper in double figures with 14 points on six-of-nine shooting.

For B-W, Tori Davis posted a double-double, 30 points and 11 rebounds. Tumblin added 13 points.

Olivet is back in action Tuesday, Nov. 28, when it hosts Madonna University at 7:30 p.m.