Five double figure scorers lead UOlivet to 95-64 win over Kalamazoo

Game Program Box Score
Five double figure scorers lead UOlivet to 95-64 win over Kalamazoo
January 22, 2025

OLIVET, Mich. – The University of Olivet men's basketball team cruised to a 95-64 win over Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Kalamazoo College this evening at the Cutler Event Center.

THE BASICS

  • Final Score: Olivet 95, Kalamazoo 64
  • Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
  • Records: Olivet 4-12 overall, 2-3 MIAA; Kalamazoo 8-8 overall, 1-4 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The Hornets took an early 8-2 lead at the 18:49 mark. The Comets responded with 11 straight points to take a 13-8 lead with 15:26 left in the first half. Kalamazoo countered with back-to-back three-pointers to regain the lead. Olivet answered with an 8-0 spurt to go up by eight points, 22-14, at the 11:42 mark. The Hornets cut their deficit in half, 24-20.
  • A 7-1 Comet run pushed their lead to double digits for the first time. Olivet's 21-point cushion at halftime, 47-26, was its largest lead of the first 20 minutes. In the first half, the Comets shot 66.7 percent (20-of-30) compared to 30 percent (9-of-30) for the Hornets, while both teams made six three-pointers.
  • To begin the second half, Olivet made seven of its first eight baskets to increase its lead to 31 points, 59-38, at the 16:23 mark. The closest Kalamazoo got in the second half was 23 points, 79-56, with 6:03 remaining in the game. The Comets' largest lead of the game was 35 points, 93-58, in the final two minutes.
  • For the game, Olivet posted a 61.2 field percentage (41-of-67), including 38.1 percent (8-of-21) from behind the arc. The Hornets were 20-of-59 (33.9 percent), including 11-of-31 (35.5 percent) from three-point territory.

FOR THE COMETS

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

  • Olivet's 95 points were a season high.
  • Other season-highs for the Comets were field goals made (41), field goal percentage (61.2), assists (22) and steals (12).
  • The 31-point margin of victory was the largest since a 31-point win (91-60) over Defiance (Ohio) College on November 15, 2023.
  • The last time Olivet beat an MIAA opponent by 31 or more points was February 16, 1972, over Adrian College (101-42). 
  • Kalamazoo's field goal percentage (33.9) was the lowest by an Olivet opponent.

QUOTE FROM OLIVET HEAD COACH SAM HARGRAVES

  • "No question it was nice to see things really clicking on the offensive end," said Olivet head coach Sam Hargraves. "But part of shots going in, is not turning the ball over and hurting your own momentum. We did a much better job tonight of not committing as many self inflicted turnovers. This was our most active confident game of the year on both ends."

UP NEXT

  • Olivet welcomes Adrian College to the Cutler Event Center on Saturday. Tip-off is at 3 p.m.