Men’s basketball team tripped up by North Central, 88-70

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team lost to North Central (Ill.) College, 88-70, this afternoon at the Cutler Event Center.

Final Score: North Central 88, Olivet 70
Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
Records: North Central 7-3 overall, Olivet 3-5 overall

• The Cardinals led by as many as 15 points, 37-22, at the 5:36 mark. Olivet scored seven straight points to make the score 37-29 with 3:30 left until halftime. North Central made a basket at the 2:29 mark before the Comets put the final eight points on the scoreboard to trail by only two points, 39-37, at the halftime break.
• Olivet outscored the Cardinals, 13-7, over the first four minutes of the second half for a four-point cushion, 50-46. The Comets led by four points two more times. After the last time at 54-50 with 14:47 left in the game, North Central scored the next five points to take a 55-54 lead. The Cardinals did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the game. The 18-point margin of victory was their largest lead of the game.

• Senior Eddie Thigpen paced Olivet with 19 points.
• Senior Dane Vos nearly had a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds.
• Freshman Lorris Upshaw finished with 11 points.
• Senior Tevin Ali grabbed a team-best 10 rebounds.

• "Today's game was a little bit like our game against Wheaton," said Olivet head men's basketball coach Sam Hargraves. "We worked hard to get back into the game after a sluggish start. We started out the second half okay, and then the better team took over. It wasn't just because of talent though. I felt they out worked and out toughed us, mainly on the boards, and that is a coach's nightmare. Combined with how #12 (Matt Helwig) shot the ball in the second half, and we had no chance. I also felt we were a little too satisfied after a nice win yesterday and we weren't emotionally ready to compete today."

• The Helwig brothers combined to score 63 of the 88 North Central points.
• Matt Helwig scored 41 points on 14-of-22 baskets, including 8-of-10 from behind the arc.
• Ethan Helwig had 22 points.
• Blaise Meredith tallied 14 points.
• Jacob Rizicka pulled down a game-best 11 rebounds.

• Olivet is off until after the Christmas holiday on Wednesday and Thursday, December 29-30, when it participates in the Otterbein (Ohio) University Smoky Ballenger Classic. On Wednesday night at 7 p.m., the Comets face the host Cardinals, and on Thursday afternoon at 5 p.m., they play Ohio Northern University.