Men’s basketball team concludes regular season with 73-58 loss to Calvin

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team ended the regular season portion of its Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) schedule with a 73-58 loss to Calvin University today at the Cutler Event Center.

Final Score: Calvin 73, Olivet 58
Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
Records: Calvin 7-3 overall, 3-0 MIAA; Olivet 2-15 overall, 1-5 MIAA

• The Knights led by as many as 17 points, 31-14, at the 6:18 mark of the first half. The Comets closed the half on a 13-4 run to trail by only seven points, 34-27, at the break.
• Olivet took its first lead of the game, 39-38, after sophomore Britton Angell and senior Delbert Redfield nailed back-to-back three-pointers. The Comets' lead grew to five points, 43-38, following baskets by junior Dane Vos and Redfield.
• Calvin answered with six straight points to go back ahead by one. Layups by Vos and sophomore Drew Moore handed the lead to Olivet, 47-44, at the 9:30 mark of the second half. The teams exchanged baskets and free throw, resulting in three tied scores. After the last one at 54-54, the Knights went on a 17-0 run over a five-minute span to take control of the game.

• Angell recorded a double-double, with a team-high 15 points and 11 rebounds.
• Senior Eddie Thigpen added 12 points.

• Thad Shymanski led all scorers with 23 points.
• Emmett Warners tallied 18 points and eight rebounds.
• Jordan Katje grabbed 11 rebounds.

• "We talk about it all the time, we do not have the raw talent right now to not compete at a high level for 40 minutes," said Olivet head coach Sam Hargraves. "We felt like the first 10 minutes, we just weren't competitive enough. We had 12 points in the first 12 minutes of the first half. Then we were really good in the middle 20 minutes of the game. The last few minutes we went ice cold, and they really shot and executed well."

• Before the game, Olivet recognized its five seniors ­– Redfield, Thigpen, Tishaun Cooper, Chris Martin and Spencer Naffziger.
• Naffziger made his first start of the season.

• The 2021 MIAA Tournament begins next Tuesday, March 2, with four quarterfinal games. The seeds, host schools and start times will be released later tonight or tomorrow. The winners of the quarterfinal games will advance to the semifinals on Thursday, March 4. The championship game will be next Saturday, March 6. All games of the tournament will be hosted by the higher seed.