UOlivet loses back-and-forth game against Hope, 67-65

OLIVET, Mich. – The University of Olivet men's basketball team lost a close game to Hope College, 67-65, in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) contest this afternoon inside the Cutler Event Center.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Hope 67, Olivet 65
• Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 4-9 overall, 1-1 MIAA; Hope 7-6 overall, 2-0 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams traded the first two baskets of the game. The Comets scored the next five points before pushing their lead to 10 points, 25-15, at the 7:44 mark of the first half. The Flying Dutchmen chipped away at their deficit and then took a 36-34 lead with 1:11 left until halftime. Junior Conner Schipper tipped-in a basket to even the score at the break.
• After Olivet scored the first two points of the second half, Hope went on an 8-2 run to gain a 44-40 lead. The Flying Dutchmen stretched their lead to five points twice. Following the second time at 51-46, the Comets used an 8-1 spurt to take the lead back, 54-54. From that point, there were three lead changes.
• Sophomore Sam Howard tied the score, 63-63, with 1:04 remaining. A Hope layup made the score 65-63 before the Comets split two free throws with 15.2 second showing on the clock. Two free throws extended the Flying Dutchmen lead back to three points. Hope elected to foul and Olivet went 1-for-2 at the free throw line. Hope missed two free throws with 5.8 seconds remaining. Schipper grabbed the rebound after the second miss and quickly pushed up the floor where a last second shot by sophomore Porter Kretschman rolled off the rim.
• For the game, Olivet had a higher field goal percentage, 47.4 to 39.7, made two more three-pointers, 5 to 3, and had a 40-29 edge in rebounds. The two differences were Hope made eight more three throws, 18 to 6, and committed 11 less turnovers, 10 to 21.

FOR THE COMETS

• Junior Nathan Richardson led Olivet with 13 points.
• Kretschman added 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.
• Schipper contributed 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
• Howard tallied 10 points.

UP NEXT

• Olivet is on the road to play Alma College next Wednesday, January 14. Tip-off at Art Smith Arena is 7 p.m.