Men’s basketball team loses to Calvin, 93-65

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Olivet College men's basketball team fell to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Calvin College 93-65 tonight at the Van Noord Arena in Grand Rapids.

The Knights did not take a double digit lead until the 11:21 mark. Calvin built its lead to as many as 20 points on two occasions, with the last time being 45-25 with one minute left in the first half. Olivet scored the final two points of the half to trail by 18 points, 45-27, at the break. The Comets were only able to close the gap to 15 points twice in the second half.

For Olivet, junior Dakotah Ellis (Birch Run) scored 20 points, including 12 in the first half. He made 7-of-10 baskets and 6-of-6 free throws.  Junior Alvino Ashley (Detroit/MLK) joined him in double figures with 15 points to go along with a team-leading nine rebounds. Senior Clint Burghdorf (Marshall) and freshman Stephen Wheelock (Suttons Bay) posted career-highs with eight and six points, respectively. Freshman Dylan Roe (Traverse City/Central) dished out a season-high four assists.

Tom Snikkers was one of four Knights to score in double figures and led them all with 22 points. Bryan Powell came off the bench to score 18 on 8-of-10 shooting. Matt DeBoer added 12, and Tyler Kruis had 11. David Rietema grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

The Comets will host Albion College Saturday in the second game of a women's/men's basketball doubleheader at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. The Olivet women will play Kalamazoo College at 1 p.m., and the men's game will tip-off at approximately 3 p.m.