.png)
Ella Gaffke Photo by:
The University of Olivet Comets faced off against the Scots of Alma College to start off a four game homestand at the Cutler Event Center on Jan. 24. The Comets fell to 2-16 while 0-7 in conference play in dramatic fashion to the now 9-9 Scots with a final score of 71-70. Junior, Nolan Finkbeiner scored an electric 14 points off the bench to be the leading scorer for the Comets. Senior Ryan Bart, freshman Nathan Richardson, and freshman Conner Schipper all managed to make it to double figures in the scoring column. Conner Shipper did it on 66% shooting, with 12 rebounds.
The first half was a tale of two differing styles of play. The Comets rained down from three, and the midrange like a meteor shower shooting 43% from the field and 40% beyond the arc.
Alma came out aggressive, starting in a full court press that would prove aggravating to the Comets for the entirety of the game. The Scots focused on getting most of their points in the paint too. The Comets started to turn the ball over, but with strong defense they were able to keep right on Alma’s tail going into half with a 40-39 deficit.
Alma started to extend their lead on the Comets coming out of half. The Scots kept attacking downhill and started to draw more fouls from the Comets. Alma pulled away with as big as a 10-point lead, before Olivet started to gain momentum. The atmosphere was lively throughout the game, and the players on the court were starting to feed off it. With a few big threes from Finkbeiner, and some great ball movement led by senior Noah Wiswary's 8 assists, the Comets were crawling their way back, and they were taking it to the bell.
The tension built as Olivet gained momentum in the final seconds of the game. As the seconds dwindled, the cheers got louder, the fans rose to their feet, and the pep band pounded their drums with 70-71, 5.7 seconds left on the clock. Olivet had the opportunity to take it out on the side near their bench. The coach drew up his perfect play, and then the whistle blew. As the bodies started to shuffle and cross paths on the court, an Olivet guard was able to get loose, and he got the ball with a full head of steam at an open basket, and it came up just short. The final score remaining 71-70.