ALMA, Mich. – The Kalamazoo College men's basketball team continued MIAA play with a road game at Alma on Wednesday (Feb. 7). The score changed hands 15 times and was tied another 11, but two free throws by Ty Horky with three seconds remaining was the difference in the Hornets' 74-73 win over the Scots.
Alma held the lead for the first 10 minutes of the game, with its largest lead being eight points. Kalamazoo stayed in the ball game and, after trailing 22-15 at the 10:11 mark, went on an 8-0 run to capture its first lead of the game. The remaining part of the first half was tight as neither team led by more than four points, and the Scots took a 39-36 lead into halftime.
After Alma made the second half's first basket, the Hornets scored 10 of the following 13 points to grab a 46-44 lead with 16:11 on the clock. The score remained tight for the rest of the game, as the Scots had the biggest lead at five with 4:57 remaining. Kalamazoo hit back-to-back threes to regain the lead before Alma took it right back on a layup. The Hornets had an answer every time the Scots hit a shot. as another three-ball tied the game at 72 with 2:24 left in regulation. The next point wasn't scored until 30 seconds left when Alma hit a free throw to go up by one. Then, Ty Horky was knocked to the ground when coming off a screen to send him to the free throw line. Horky converted on the one-and-one opportunity with three seconds remaining for the eventual game-winning points.
Kalamazoo shot 43.6% overall compared to Alma's 45.8%. The Hornets made 9 of 27 (33.3%) 3-pointers compared to the Scots' 6 of 18 (33.3%). Kalamazoo went 17 of 29 (58.6%) from the free-throw line compared to Alma's 13 of 17 (76.5%). The Hornets had 28 rebounds compared to the Scots' 35, while Kalamazoo had 13 assists on 24 made field goals.
Kalamazoo had a balanced scoring attack as Lukas Broadsword (12), Patrick Perez (12), Bobby Samples (12), Carter Bandemer (11), Ty Horky (10), and Lucas Hanifan (10) all finished with double-digits. Broadsword finished with seven rebounds, Samples collected three assists, and Perez had three steals. Gabriel Sharp (4) and Dougie Blackwood (3) rounded out the Hornets' scoring.
Kalamazoo will continue conference play with a home game against #13 Calvin on Saturday (Feb. 10), beginning at 3 p.m.