Men’s basketball team defeats Hope, 73-67

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team defeated Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Hope College, 73-67, today at the Upton Center Gymnasium in Olivet.

Final Score: Olivet 73, Hope 67
Location: Upton Center Gymnasium; Olivet, Michigan
Records: Hope 11-8 overall, 4-4 MIAA; Olivet 5-14 overall, 2-6 MIAA

• There were three tied scores and four lead changes in the first 10 minutes of the game. Juniors Eddie Thigpen and Colin Carter drained back-to-back three-pointers for a 21-16 Comet lead. The teams traded baskets to create three more five-point Olivet leads.
• With 4:43 left in the first half, senior Ryan Franklin banked in a three-pointer from the right elbow to make the score 30-22. Another three-pointer, this time by freshman Britton Angell, gave the Comets their largest lead of the half, 34-25, at the 2:14 mark.
• The Flying Dutchmen came back with a 7-2 run to trim their deficit down to four points, 36-32. Junior Chris Martin was fouled with 0.2 seconds showing on the clock, and he made both free throws for a 36-32 Olivet lead at the intermission.
• In the second half, Hope battled back and closed to within one point on three occasions. After the last time at 46-45 with 11:29 showing on the clock, the Comets went on a 13-2 run over the next five minutes to take their largest lead in the game. The Flying Dutchmen trimmed their deficit down to four points twice but never got any closer.
• For the game, Olivet had a 46.4 field goal percentage (26-of-56) compared to 37.5 percent (24-of-64) for Hope. The Comets made three more three-pointers (seven to four) but the Flying Dutchmen made one more free throw (15 to 14). Olivet did shoot a higher percentage at the charity stripe (14-of-22, 63.6 percent to 15-of-26, 57.7 percent).

• Thigpen finished the game with 17 points.
• Angell contributed 15 points.
• Franklin scored a career-best 10 points.
• Angell and Thigpen each grabbed six rebounds.
• Freshman Noah Wiswary had seven points, six rebounds and five assists.
• Carter tallied seven points, five rebounds and five blocks.

• Evan Thomas registered game-highs in points (19) and rebounds (eight).
• Preston Granger had 15 points and committed nine of the 14 Hope turnovers.
• Clayton Dykhouse recorded 14 points.

• Franklin entered tonight's game with six total points in eight games.
• Carter's five blocks ties for the third-most for a game in school history.
• The Comets have now beaten Hope at least once in each of the last three seasons.

• Olivet plays Calvin University next Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 7:30 p.m. The game is a part of a basketball doubleheader at the Upton Center Gymnasium, as the Comet women play Albion College prior to the men's game.