Men’s basketball team gives up late lead in 79-71 loss at Albion
The Olivet College men’s basketball team let a 13-point second-half lead slip away in a 79-71 loss to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College this evening at Kresge Gym in Albion.
January 18, 2017
ALBION, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team let a 13-point second-half lead slip away in a 79-71 loss to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College this evening at Kresge Gym in Albion.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Albion 79, Olivet 71
Location: Kresge Gym; Albion, Mich.
Records: Olivet 6-10 overall, 2-3 MIAA; Albion 5-11 overall, 2-3 MIAA
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the first half, the Comets scored the first four points and held two more four-point advantages, 8-4 and 12-8.
- The Britons came back to take a six-point lead, 18-12, at the 9:27 mark.
- Albion took its largest lead of the game at halftime, 36-26.
- Olivet chipped away at its deficit and eventually go ahead 43-40 after four consecutive three-pointers – three for sophomore Thomas Tsalkitzis and one for senior Chris Chrzan.
- The Comets then grabbed its largest lead of the game, 57-44, after senior Eric Ewing made a free throw to complete an "old-fashioned" three-point play with 10:33 remaining.
- Olivet led by 10 points, 65-55, at the 6:19 mark.
- The Britons then ripped off a 10-0 run over the next two minutes and 25 seconds to tie the game.
- The lead changed three times before Albion took the lead for good with 44 ticks left.
- The Britons made all five of their free throws in the final 44 seconds to seal the win.
FOR THE COMETS
- Ewing led Olivet with 23 points to go along with six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
- Tsalkitzis finished with a career-high 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting from three-point range.
- Chrzan scored eight points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.
- Junior Jordan Terry registered a game-high eight assists.
FOR THE BRITONS
- Corey Wheeler and Dylan Bennett each scored 16 points for Albion.
- Jason Zahran had a double-double, 15 points and 13 rebounds.
UP NEXT
- Olivet welcomes the Trine (Ind.) University Thunder to The Cutler Event Center Saturday afternoon for a basketball doubleheader. The Comet women plays Trine at 3 p.m., followed by the men's game at approximately 5:30 p.m.