KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Kalamazoo College men's basketball team defeated Olivet 108-103 for the Hornets' first MIAA win of the season.
Kalamazoo trailed by as many as 11 points (40-29) late in the first half before going into the break down five (46-41).
The Hornets quickly evened the score up at 48-48 less than two minutes into the second half before taking a 51-48 lead with 17:31 left to play. The Hornets extended the lead to 15 (88-73) with 7:20 left to play. Kalamazoo led by 10 (105-95) with 1:18 remaining and held off Olivet's final push at the end.
After a slow start shooting in the first half, Kalamazoo finished the game with a season-best 52.1 percent overall and a season-best 52.9 percent from 3-point range with a school-record 18 3-pointers. Olivet shot 49.4 percent overall and 36 percent from 3-point range while also sinking 18-of-22 free throws. Kalamazoo made just 16-of-30 free throws. The Comets also held a 47-35 advantage in rebounds.
Ben Reiter scored a career-high 32 points with eight rebounds while sinking 7-of-9 3-pointers to tie the school record for 3's in a game.
Tanner Blyly scored 23 points with nine assists becoming Kalamazoo's career record holder in assists with 262, surpassing Dirk Rhinehart's 261 from 1999-2003.
Merritt Hamann scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting while Jack Smith scored 12 points with three steals and three blocked shots.
Jarnard Smith finished with 10 points and three assists while Tre Humes added nine points and four assists.
Kalamazoo is back in action Saturday, Jan. 18 at Albion.