Men’s basketball team loses to Bethany (W.Va.), 63-59

BETHANY, W.Va. – The Olivet College men's basketball team rallied from a large deficit to take a 3-point lead, but ended up falling to non-conference foe Bethany (W.Va.) College, 63-59, tonight at Nutting Gymnasium in Bethany, West Virginia.

In the opening half, the Bison led by as many as 17 points, 28-11, at the 6:54 mark. The Comets came back with a 12-4 run to trim their deficit down to single digits, 32-23. Bethany made two free throws and Olivet made a basket to make the score 34-25 at halftime.

The Comets started the second half with an 18-8 scoring spurt to trail by only one points, 43-42, at the 14:45 mark. Olivet took its first lead of the game, 47-46, when freshman T.J. Vondette (Hemlock) made layup with 12:22 left in the game.

Bethany took the lead back, 48-47, on two free throws by Reece Mabery. The Comets back to tie the game twice (51-51 and 53-53) before taking a 56-53 lead after sophomore Blake Krum (Schoolcraft) made a three-pointer at the 5:19 mark. Over the next five minutes, the Bison outscored Olivet, 8-0, to go up 61-56.

The Comets got a three-pointer with seven seconds remaining in the game before Bethany made two free throws to create the final margin.

Krum and senior Garner Small (Schoolcraft) each scored 15 points to lead Olivet. Krum also had a near double-double with nine rebounds. Vondette joined them in double figures with 10 points on perfect shooting night, 2-of-2 from the floor and 6-of-6 from the free throw line.

Four Bethany players scored in double figures, led by Brady Pacific's 15 points off the bench. Leslie Addy added 14, while James Barton and Nick Wilcox had 11 and 10, respectively.

Olivet will start making its trip home and stop to play Baldwin Wallace University Monday night in Berea, Ohio. Tip-off at Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium is 7:30 p.m.