Men’s basketball team drops close 63-57 decision to No. 4 Wisconsin-Platteville

OLIVET, Mich. – Facing its toughest competition of the season, the Olivet College men's basketball team led by two points with 2:19 left against University of Wisconsin-Platteville before the Pioneers scored the final eight points to pull out a 63-57 win over the Comets this evening at the Cutler Event Center. Wisconsin-Platteville, ranked No. 4 in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, improved to a perfect 10-0 with the win.

Final Score: Wisconsin Platteville 63, Olivet 57
Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
Records: Wisconsin-Platteville 10-0 overall, Olivet 2-3 overall

• The Comets raced out to an 8-2 lead at the 17:06 mark of the first half. Wisconsin-Platteville answered with its own 8-2 run to level the score with 13:25 left until halftime. Olivet responded with four quick points before back-to-back Pioneer three-pointers gave them their first lead in the game.
• Wisconsin-Platteville eventually led by six points, 24-18, at the 6:29 mark. The Comets came back with a 12-4 run over the next five minutes to take the lead back 30-28. A three-pointer for the Pioneers in the final seconds of the half made the score 31-30 at the intermission.
• Two baskets for Wisconsin-Platteville to start the second half made the score 35-30. Three Comet layups handed the lead to Olivet 36-35 at the 15:23. Six straight points put the Pioneers back on top by five points, 41-36. Freshman Patrick Hollis scored eight consecutive points to help the Comets go ahead 44-41. Olivet maintained its three-point cushion two more times.
• After the last time at 48-45, Wisconsin-Platteville had a 7-0 spurt in a 65-second span to take a four-point lead.  The Comets tied the game on back-to-back baskets. A triple put the Pioneers ahead by three points, 55-52 with 4:43 remaining.
• Senior Tevin Ali made back-to-back layups, followed by a free throw to complete a three-point after the second, to put Olivet ahead by two points, 57-55, with 2:19 left. Wisconsin-Platteville countered with a basket from distance to take the lead. An offensive foul gave the ball back to the Pioneers who then made a layup to go ahead by three points. The Comets missed a tying three-pointer and were then forced to foul the rest of the game. Wisconsin-Platteville made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 34 seconds to seal the hard-fought win.
• For the game, the Pioneers made one basket, 24 to 23, and two more three-pointers, 8 to 6, and two more free throws, 7 to 5. Olivet outrebounded Wisconsin-Platteville, 47-42.

• Three Olivet players reached double figures in the scoring column.
• Ali led the way with 15 points.
• Hollis and senior Derrick Johnson each scored 12 points.
• Junior Noah Wiswary grabbed a team-best 10 rebounds.
• Johnson dished out five assists and pulled down seven rebounds.

• Blake McCann was the lone player to score in double figures, as he had 22 points.
• Three other players each netted nine points.
• Justin Stovall registered a game-high 11 rebounds.

• Olivet hosts Wheaton (Ill.) College next Saturday, December 18. Tip-off at the Cutler Event Center is 12 p.m.