Men’s basketball team breaks six-game losing streak with 69-62 win at Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team snapped a six-game losing skid with a 69-62 win over Kalamazoo College tonight in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) contest at the Anderson Athletic Center. The victory also avenged a loss to the Hornets from Monday night.

Final Score: Olivet 69, Kalamazoo 62
Location: Anderson Athletic Center; Kalamazoo, Michigan
Records: Kalamazoo 5-15 overall, 2-7 MIAA; Olivet 6-16 overall, 3-8 MIAA

• The Hornets took a pair of five-point leads early in the game. After the second time at 9-4, senior Derrick Johnson drained a free throw after making a three-pointer to cut the Comets' deficit down to a single point. Kalamazoo then pushed its lead to as many as nine points, 30-21. Olivet scored seven straight points before the teams exchanged baskets to create a 32-30 at halftime.
• The Comets began the second half on a 13-3 run for an eight-point lead, 43-35. The Hornets made back-to-back three-pointers to close the margin to two points. An "old-fashioned" three-point play put Olivet on top by five points, 46-41. The Comets pushed their lead back to eight points, 51-43, with 11:41 left in the game.
• Kalamazoo came back with an 11-3 run to level the score. Two consecutive baskets by senior Chris Martin put Olivet ahead 58-54 at the 6:43 mark. The Hornets battled back to make it a one-point game, 60-59, at the 4:09 mark. Two more jump shots for Martin and a three-pointer by junior Noah Wiswary gave the Comets an eight-point lead, 67-59, with two minutes remaining.
• Kalamazoo scored the next basket. With 39.6 seconds showing on the clock, Wiswary split two tosses from the charity stripe to make the score 68-61 and put the game out of reach.
• For the game, Olivet posted a 43.3 field goal percentage (26-of-60) compared to 35.9 percent (23-of-64) for the Hornets. Both teams made nine free throws, but the Comets drained one more three-pointer. Olivet also out-rebounded Kalamazoo, 46-37.

• Senior Eddie Thigpen led all scorers with 21 points. He also dished out four assists.
• Martin tallied 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting.
• Johnson added 10 points, with three three-pointers.
• Junior Tevin Ali grabbed a game-best 12 rebounds.

• After scoring 38 points on Monday night, Ty Horky was held to 12 points. He was the lone Hornet to score in double figures.
• DJ Courtney registered a team-best seven rebounds.

• The Olivet men and women host Hope College Saturday for a basketball doubleheader. The women's game tips-off at 1 p.m., followed by the men's game at approximately 3 p.m.