Men's basketball team loses to Albion College, 76-52

The men's basketball team opened Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play tonight with a 76-52 loss against Albion College at Kresge Gymnasium in Albion. The loss snaps Olivet's three-game winning streak.

In the first half, the Fighting Comets (6-6, 0-1 MIAA) had just one lead at 2-1. The Britons (11-0, 1-0 MIAA) used a 15-3 run in a stretch of just over six minutes to take a 17-point lead, 31-14, with 3:07 left. Albion led 34-20 at halftime. The closest that Olivet would get in the second half was eight points at the 16:40 mark when junior Derek Kurtz (Hillsdale/Jonesville) made a layup.

Will Lee (Lansing Everett), Ronnie Pearson (Holly) and De'Andre Pruitt (River Rouge) scored 10 points apiece to lead the Comets. Pruitt grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

Zak Silas led the way for the Britons with a game-high 20 points on a perfect seven-of-seven shooting from the floor. Brandon Crawford posted a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

The Comets will host Kalamazoo College for a MIAA game this Saturday, Jan. 8. Tip-off from the Upton Center is 3 p.m.