KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Kalamazoo College men's basketball team dropped a 69-62 decision to the visiting Olivet College Comets Wednesday night at Anderson Athletic Center.
Just two days after the Hornets won 98-92 at Olivet on Monday, the rematch was more of a gritty, grind-it-out affair. Kalamazoo seized a 20-12 lead after two Lukas Broadsword free throws with 11:14 remaining in the first half. K managed to keep the Comets at arm's length for much of the remainder of the period, but an Olivet jump shot brought the visitors to within 32-30 with 1:22 remaining. The Hornets would take that two-point advantage with them into the locker room.
Olivet wouldn't take its first lead of the game until a Comet three-pointer made it 35-32 with 18:14 remaining in the second half. Kalamazoo managed to tie it on a Josh Decker trey 46 seconds later, but the visitors immediately retook the advantage with a bucket and held it for the next 9:41.
The Hornets worked their way back and Ty Horky's jump shot tied the game at 54 with 7:47 left, but an Olivet layup retook the lead for good with 7:00 remaining. They stretched the lead to eight points, 67-59, with 2:06 left and the Hornets were unable to get closer than six points before time expired.
Horky led the Hornets (5-15, 2-7 MIAA) with 12 points and three steals. Broadsword tallied six points, six rebounds, and a game-high six assists, and Addison Atwater chipped in nine points and six rebounds. All ten Hornets who saw the court scored.
Olivet shot 43% from the field (26-60), while Kalamazoo could manage just 36% (23-64). The Comets made 8 of 25 shots from distance (32%), outpacing the Hornets' 7 of 28 (25%). Olivet had sizable advantages in rebounds (46-37) and blocks (5-0), while Kalamazoo dished 15 assists to Olivet's 11, and swiped seven steals to Olivet's four.
Next up for the Hornets is a Saturday road trip to Adrian, where they will face the Bulldogs for a scheduled 5 p.m. tip-off.