By Staff
The Olivet College men's basketball team suffered a 120-112 defeat against future Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association member Tri-State (Ind.) University Saturday afternoon at the Upton Center.
In the game, both teams combined to make 81-of-158 field goals, including 37-of-93 3-pointers.
The Fighting Comets (9-8) made 18-of-42 3-pointers, and the Thunder (8-9) connected on 19-of-51 from 3-point range.
In the first half, Olivet led by as many as nine points on four occasions with the last time being 53-44 at the 4:50 mark. Tri-State then went on a 10-1 run to tie the game at 54-54. After another tie, 59-59, the Thunder scored the next five points of the game before junior guard Thad Mitchner beat the halftime buzzer with a 3-pointer. Tri-State had a 64-62 lead at the break.
Tri-State built its lead to seven points four times in the first five minutes of the second half. The Comets then went on a 13-3 run to lead by three points with 11:03 left in the game. After the Thunder tied the game, 86-86, they went on a 15-0 run to put the game away. The Comets were able to only close to within five points with 19 seconds left.
Sophomore forward De'Andre Pruitt led four Olivet players in double figures with 25 points, followed by junior guard Richard Britton with a career-high 20 points. Mitchner and junior forward Ronnie Pearson contributed 19 points apiece. Pruitt also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, and Pearson dished out nine assists.
Niles High School graduates Derek Cox and Matt Brawley scored five and two points, respectively, for the Comets.
Olivet will next be in action on Wednesday when it travels to play Adrian College. Tip-off from the Merillat Center is 7:30 p.m.
The Thunder placed five players in double figures, led by Luke Amstutz with 25 and Aaron Rehrer with 19. Brandon O'Leary had 17 points and a team-best nine rebounds.
Tri-State….120
Olivet……..112
Tri-State: Britain Flowers 3 0-2 8, Brandon Appleton 2 6-12 10, Luke Amstutz 8 3-4 25, Brandon O'Leary 8 1-4 17, John Taylor 2 2-4 7, Micah Williams 6 2-3 15, Justin Guy 0 0-0 0, Aaron Rehrer 6 2-3 19, Bobby Arroyo 0 0-0 0, Dwight Brace 3 1-2 9, Ivan Danzy 0 0-0 0, Zach Elrod 0 0-0 0, Brian Porter 1 0-2 2, Greg Ripple 0 2-4 2, Eric Koncz 2 0-2 6. Totals: 41 19-42 120
Olivet: Travis Schellhammer 0 0-0 0, Matt Brawley 0 2-2 2, De'Andre Pruitt 8 4-4 25, Ronnie Pearson 8 2-4 19, Derek Cox 2 1-2 5, Thad Mitchner 7 1-5 19, McKinsey Golfin 0 0-0 0, Dan Bonnell 2 0-0 6, Richard Britton 6 2-3 20, Derek Kurtz 0 0-0 0, Steve Johnson 3 1-2 7, Eddie Ward 1 0-0 2, Willie Johnson III 0 0-0 0, Andy Storey 3 1-1 7. Totals: 40 14-23 112
Halftime score: Tri-State 64, Olivet 62
3-point shooting: Tri-State 19 (Amstutz 6, Rehrer 5, Flowers 2, Brace 2, Koncz 2, Taylor, Williams), Olivet 18 (Britton 6, Pruitt 5, Mitchner 4, Bonnell 2, Pearson). Team fouls (fouled out): Tri-State 22 (none), Olivet 29 (Schellhammer). Team records: Tri-State 8-9, Olivet 9-8