Men’s basketball team defeated by Hope, 80-72

HOLLAND, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team was defeated by Hope College, 80-72, this afternoon at the DeVos Fieldhouse in Holland.

Olivet led by five points, 8-3, at the 17:07 mark of the first half. The Flying Dutchmen battled back with a 7-0 run to take a 10-8 lead. The teams traded baskets to cause two tied scores 10-10 and 12-12. After the last tie, Hope went on a 12-2 scoring spurt to take a 24-14 lead.

The Comets trimmed their deficit down to six points, 24-18 and 26-20. Olivet would not draw any closer for the rest of the half, as the Dutchmen led by as many as 11 and eventually settled for a 39-29 lead at halftime.

To start the second, the Comets scored the first seven points to trail by only three points, 39-36. Following the teams exchanging baskets and free throws to make the score 50-46, Hope went on a 5-0 run to take a 55-46 lead at the 13:01 mark.

Olivet went on a 5-0 run to cut the Dutchmen lead to four points, 55-51. Hope put nine of the next 12 points on the scoreboard to regain a double digit lead, 64-54. The Comets would come back and get as close as five points, 65-60, after freshman Adam Rayner (Muskegon/Mona Shores) made two free throws.

For the game, Olivet made three more baskets and five more free throws than the Dutchmen. The difference in the game was the free throw line, where Hope went 30-of-37 to 11-of-17 for the Comets. The Dutchmen edged Hope in rebounding, 52-37.

Sophomore T.J. Vondette (Hemlock) paced Olivet with 15 points and eight assists. Junior Jordan Union (Jackson) contributed 14 points, five rebounds and six assists. Junior Blake Krum (Schoolcraft) also scored in double figures with 13 points.

Ben Gardner led all scorers with 18 points to lead Hope. Grant Neil had 17 points, while Alex Eidson scored 14 and pulled down 10 rebounds. Brock Benson came off the bench to score 10 points.

The Comets (3-11, 1-2 MIAA) return to the court next Tuesday, Jan. 21, when they host Albion College at 7:30 p.m.