Men’s basketball team falls to Hope, 77-71

OLIVET, Mich. -- The Olivet College men's basketball team fell to Hope College, 77-71, in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) game today at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair with both teams trading four-point leads. After Olivet led 10-6, the Flying Dutchmen scored five straight points to take an 11-10 lead. The teams traded free throws or baskets before Hope appeared to pull away and take a 23-18 lead. The Comets answered with a 12-3 run to equal their largest lead of the half, 30-26. After the Dutchmen tied the game for the fifth time at 32-32, Olivet scored the final four points of the first 20 minutes of play to take a 36-32 lead at intermission.

The Comets came out of the locker rooms with a 11-5 to build their largest lead of the game at 47-37 with 13:52 left. Hope chipped away at its deficit and forced a 49-49 tie just three minutes later. There would seven more tied scores until the Dutchmen took the lead for good at 65-63. Olivet got as close as one point with two minutes left. Hope then made a three-pointer and five-of-six free throws to seal the win.

Both teams had nearly identical numbers shooting from the floor, as the Dutchmen went 25-for-54, and the Comets were 25-of-55. Hope made one more free throw than Olivet. The significant difference was the Dutchmen made eight 3-pointers to just three triples for the Comets.

For Olivet, senior Michael McClary (Bellaire) had his sixth double-double of the season and third in MIAA play with game-highs in points (34) and rebounds (10). With his 34 points, he still sits fifth all-time in scoring with 1,537 points and is 106 points shy of breaking the record. Senior Nathan Jennings (Grant) was the only other player in double figures with 11 points. Senior Joe Post (Olivet) dished out seven of the Comets' 16 assists.

Hope used a balanced scoring attack. Will Bowser led the way with 18, including 16 in the first half. Logan Neil and Ty Tanis each scored 13, followed by David Krombeen with 11. Bowser and Nate Snuggerud had six rebounds apiece.

The Comets are next in action Wednesday, Jan. 19, when they travel down I-69 to play Trine (Ind.) University at 7:30 p.m.