Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
The University of Olivet

Howard’s career-high 25 points pushes UOlivet over Trine, 89-77

Game Program Box Score
Howard’s career-high 25 points pushes UOlivet over Trine, 89-77
January 24, 2026

OLIVET, Mich. – Sophomore Sam Howard scored a career-high 25 points to lead The University of Olivet men's basketball team to a thrilling 89-77 win over Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Trine University (Ind.) today at the Cutler Event Center. With the wim and with Calvin University's win over Hope College, the Comets move into a three-way tie for first-place in the MIAA standings with 5-1 records.

THE BASICS

  • Final Score: Olivet 89, Trine 77
  • Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
  • Records: Olivet 8-9 overall, 5-1 MIAA; Trine 12-5 overall, 4-2 MIAA

FOR THE COMETS

  • For the game, Olivet made 32-of-63 baskets (50.8 percent), including 13-of-28 (48.4 percent) from behind the arc, 12-of-13 free throws (92.3 percent). The Comet defense forced the Thunder to a 40.6 overall field goal percentage (28-of-68), including 26.5 percent (9-of-34) from three-point territory.
  • Howard came off the bench to score 25 points. He made 9-of-13 baskets, including 7-of-9 from three-point range. Howard's only basket from inside the arc was a slam dunk.
  • Freshman Sean Shenker joined him in double figures with career=high 19 points, with four three-pointers.
  • Junior Conner Schipper added 18 points.
  • Sophomore Porter Kretschman contributed his third straight double-double with 10 points and game-high 14 rebounds.
  • Olivet also passed the ball exceptionally, recording 23 assists. Junior Nathan Richardson tallied a team-best seven, followed by Shenker (5) and Howard (4).

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The teams traded the first eight points, resulting in ties at 2-2 and 4-4. Four points by Richardson were between Howard's first triple to put Olivet ahead 11-4. The Comets extended their advantage to 18 points, 31-18, on an alley-oop dunk by Kretschman at the 5:38 mark. The Thunder trimmed their deficit down to 10 points before seven quick Olivet points made the score 41-24 with 2:06 left in the first half. Trine scored the final five points of the half to trail by 12 points (41-29) at the break.
  • The Thunder started the second half with a 9-2 run to cut the Comet lead down to five points. Olivet's lead went back to 10 points when Howard swished a three-pointer and Kretschman made a fastbreak layup. Trine closed the gap to seven points, 50-43, and that was as close as it got for the rest of the game. The Comets' lead grew to as many as 22 points, 72-50, after Howard drained back-to-back three-pointers in a span of 49 seconds.

UP NEXT

  • Olivet closes out the first half of its MIAA schedule next Wednesday at Calvin University. Tip-off from Van Noord Arena is at 7:30 p.m.