UOlivet drops season-opening game at Franklin, 85-74

FRANKLIN, Ind. – The University of Olivet men's basketball team opened its 2025-26 season with an 85-74 setback to Franklin (Ind.) College tonight at the Spurlock Center.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Franklin 85, Olivet 74
• Location: Spurlock Center; Franklin, Indiana
• Records: Olivet 0-1 overall, Franklin 1-0 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the first half, the Grizzlies built a nine-point lead, 20-11, at the 12:07 mark. The Comets answered with an 11-0 run over a two minute and 40 second span for a 22-20 lead. Franklin fought back to take a pair of one-point leads, 28-27 and 30-29. Olivet responded with a three-pointer to go ahead 32-30.
• The Grizzlies tied the score. A 5-0 Comet run made the score 37-32 with 3:25 left until halftime. Franklin used a three-point play before a three-pointer by junior Conner Schipper made the score 40-35. The Grizzlies countered with a free throw and three-pointer to trim their deficit down to two points. Sophomore Sam Howard made two free throws to put Olivet ahead by three points, 42-39, at the intermission.
• The Comets scored the first two points of the second half. Two free throws and a triple for Franklin quickly evened the score at 44-44. Freshman Sean Shenker made the next basket but the Grizzlies responded with another three-pointer to take a 47-46 lead.
• From there, neither team led by more than three points until senior Evan Honnen drained back-to-back three-pointers to put Olivet ahead by five points, 59-54, at the 13:38 mark. The Comets extended their lead to as many as nine points, 65-56, with 10:13 left. The Grizzlies outscored Olivet, 29-9, in the final ten minutes to post the 85-74 come-from-behind win.
• Overall, the game featured four tied scores and 13 lead changes.

FOR THE COMETS

• Schipper recorded a double-double with a team-best 18 points and 10 rebounds. He also had four assists and three blocks.
• Sophomore Porter Kretschman contributed 15 points, nine rebounds, two steals and five assists.
• Junior Nathan Richardson added 13 points.

COACH'S QUOTE

"The good news from tonight is we don't feel we played very well overall, and certainly had a chance to win," said Olivet head coach Sam Hargraves. "In the most important time, Franklin broke our will after we had a chance to do that to them but didn't do it. Clearly the difference in the game was turnovers. We'll have to get much much better at that and truly play hard for 40 minutes. We've got a long way to go. Fortunately this is only game one for us."

UP NEXT

• The Comets play tomorrow afternoon at Anderson (Ind.) University. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. from O.C. Lewis Gymnasium.