Men’s basketball team plays Hope in 2018 MIAA Tournament championship game

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team hosts Hope College in the championship game of the 2018 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament Saturday, Feb. 24. Tip-off at the Cutler Event Center in Olivet is 7:30 p.m. 

THE MATCHUP: Hope (17-9) vs. Olivet (16-10)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m.
VENUE: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Mich.
LIVE STATS: olivetcomets.com/sports/mbkb/2017-18/boxscores/20180224_pxdg.xml
LIVE AUDIO: www.primcast.com/radio/610865
LIVE VIDEO: wingwarp-stream.herokuapp.com/school/m3bv5uvh5cqj

MIAA TOURNAMENT: The Comets and Flying Dutchmen finished the regular season as MIAA co-champions with identical 10-4 league records. Olivet earned the top seed by virtue of winning both games against Adrian College during the regular season. In last night's semifinals, Hope rallied from an early 20-6 deficit to beat Adrian, 81-65, and Olivet overcame a 14-point deficit to defeat Trine, 78-71.

TICKET INFORMATION: Ticket sales start at 5:30 p.m. Adults are $7 each. Non-MIAA students are $5 each. MIAA faculty and staff are $5 each with ID. MIAA students are free with ID.

SEASON SERIES: Hope and Olivet split the regular season meetings, with each team winning on its home court. The Flying Dutchmen beat the Comets, 87-84, on Jan. 20 at the DeVos Fieldhouse in Holland. Olivet returned the favor and beat Hope, 70-40, on Feb. 14 at the Cutler Event Center.

OLIVET HEAD COACH STEVE ERNST: Steve Ernst is in his second season as the Comets' head coach, compiling a 25-26 overall record.

HOPE HEAD COACH GREG MITCHELL:  Greg Mitchell is in his fourth season at the helm of the Flying Dutchmen. He has led them to a 82-29 overall record.

SCORING LEADERS: The Comets are led by the duo of senior Jalen Adams, of Saginaw, and junior Tracy Edmond, of East Lansing. Adams averages a double-double at 26.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Edmond is averaging 20.8 points per game. In addition, senior Eldridge Mason, of Southfield, has an 11.8 scoring average. This trio headlined the All-MIAA teams. Adams was named the MIAA Most Valuable Player. Edmond joined him on the All-MIAA first-team, while Mason was an All-MIAA second-team selection.

DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Adams has recorded 16 double-doubles this season, including 10 against MIAA opponents.

PASSING THE BALL: Edmond is averaging 7.1 assists per game, and has tallied 13 games with eight or more assists. His single-game high for assists was 11 versus Adrian College.

SINGLE-SEASON SCORING RECORD: With his 30 points against Trine, Adams broke Olivet's single-season points scored record. He now has 690 points to move pass the 676 points by Michael McClary during the 2010-11 season. He needs 10 field goals made to become the single-season leader.

RECORD-HOLDER: Edmond now holds the single-season school record with 184 assists.

MIAA SCORING CHAMP: For the eighth time in school history, the Comets have the MIAA scoring champion. Adams was this year's champ at 26.3 points per game over 14 league games.

NCAA RANKS: Adams ranks fourth in total points (690), third in field goals made (260) and attempted (524), seventh in points per game (26.5) and eighth in double-doubles (16). Edmond is third in total assists (184) and fourth in assists per game (7.1).

WINNING SEASON: With a 15-10 record, the Comets have secured only the 16th winning season in school history. The 16 wins this season are the third-most victories in school history for a season.

MIAA FINISH: The 10 wins in MIAA play were the most in school history for a season.

MIAA TITLE: The last time Olivet won or shared a MIAA title in men's basketball was 1973.

REVISTING THE MIAA PRESEASON POLL: In the preseason coaches' poll, Olivet was picked to finish fourth. Hope was the preseason favorite, while Trine tied for fifth and Adrian was eighth.

MIAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Olivet is making an appearance in the MIAA Tournament since it was narrowed down to the top four teams, starting in 2012. The Comets' last win in the MIAA tournament came during the 2010 first round when it they defeated Albion College.