Men’s basketball team drops 69-67 heartbreaker to Adrian

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team led by 17 points with six minutes to go in the first half before Adrian College rallied to beat the Comets, 69-67, today at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet.

The Comets made six of their first seven baskets to take a 13-2 lead in the first three minutes and 46 seconds of the game. The Bulldogs answered with a 10-4 run to trail by only five points, 17-12, with 9:53 left until halftime. Olivet scored 14 of the next 16 points in a 3:45 span to gain its 17-point lead, 31-14, at the 6:08 mark. Adrian was down 10 points, 35-25, at halftime.

The Bulldogs clawed their way back and cut their deficit to four points, 42-38, with 15:38 remaining in regulation. The Comets responded with seven straight points for a 49-38 lead. Adrian battled back to tie the game with 11 straight points, including three consecutive three-pointers, to tie the game for the first time, 49-49, at the 8:47 mark.

Olivet continued to lead until Adrian tied the game two more times, 57-57 and 59-59. The Bulldogs took their first lead with 2:06 left in the game. Neither team scored another basket until Adrian's Curtis Gordon made a basket with 30 seconds remaining.

Junior Blake Krum (Schoolcraft) hit an off-balanced three-pointer to make the score 63-62. Forced to foul, Adrian made two free throws to go up with 65-62. Instead of taking a chance on the Comets' making a game-tying three-pointer, the Bulldogs elected to foul. Junior Jordan Union (Jackson) made the two free throws.

Olivet fouled,  again, and Adrian drained both free throws for a 69-66 lead. The Bulldogs made the choice, again, to foul. Sophomore T.J. Vondette (Hemlock) made the first to make the score 69-67 and when trying to intentionally miss the second chance, the ball did not hit the rim, giving the ball to Adrian. The Comets committed a foul with one second left, but the Bulldogs missed both attempts.

Krum was one-of-four Olivet players to reach double figures in the scoring column with 19 points. Freshman R.J. Haas (Albion) made 7-of-9 baskets, including his first six attempts, for 14 points. Vondette scored 14, while Union had 11. Union and Vondette each grabbed six rebounds.

For the game, Adrian made 21 total baskets, with 11 coming from behind the three-point arc. Rickey Jackson led the way with 19 points. Wesley Reed contributed 18 points. Curtis Gordon and Ben Rodak each had 15. Rodak pulled down a game-high seven rebounds.

The Comets travel to play Kalamazoo College Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 8 p.m.