Story by Mitch Blankespoor

ALMA, MI – The #13 Calvin men's basketball team traveled to Alma College Wed., Feb. 6 for an MIAA matchup with the Scots.  The Knights defeated Alma 90-66 to improve to 20-2 and a perfect 11-0 in the MIAA on the season. 

The game played very tight in the opening minutes.  Calvin did score nine of the game's first 11 points, but Alma would battle back to tie the game at 17 with a three-pointer from Isiah Law (Grand Haven/Grand Haven HS) with 9:46 to play in the first half.

The Knights then relied on two seniors to give themselves a lead.  Senior guard Bryan Powell (Wyoming/Wyoming Park) scored seven straight points for Calvin.  Fellow senior Tom Snikkers (Hudsonville/Unity Christian) scored six straight right after Powell, giving the Knights a 31-21 lead. 

Calvin continued to add to its lead.  Powell's three-pointer with six seconds remaining put the Knights up 46-27 at halftime. 

Alma could not get any closer in the second half.  Snikkers finished with a game-high 28 points.  This performance moved Snikkers past Chris Prins and Mickey Phelps on Calvin's all-time scoring list.  Snikkers currently has 1,369 points; good for ninth place all-time.

Powell chipped in 18 points while junior center Tyler Kruis (Grandville/Calvin Christian) scored 13 points.  The Knights shot 9-19 from beyond the three-point arc.

"Anytime you can go into an opponent's gym and get a win, you take it and run," said Calvin head coach Kevin Vande Streek in a post-game interview.  "We didn't come out with enough intensity tonight, but played harder and harder as the game wore on."

Calvin hits the 20-win plateau for the 16th time in school history and the sixth season under Vande Streek. 

Calvin travels to Hope College on Sat., Feb. 9, for a game with its rival, the Flying Dutchmen.  The game is slated to start at 3:00 p.m.