ALMA, Mich. – Albion College was unable to deliver the knockout punch Thursday night.
Despite leading by seven on a couple of occasions with less than 10 minutes left, the Britons were unable to pull away from Alma College. Alma ripped off a seven-point run in a minute to built a six-point lead with five minutes to play and it went on to hand Albion an 82-71 setback in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association men's basketball action.
Albion shot 47.5 percent (29-of-61) from the field, but it could not keep up with an Alma squad that knocked down 15-of-29 tries from 3-point range. The Britons did not help their cause by shooting 59 percent (10-of-17) from the free throw line.
Carter Elliott and Dakota Kazen scored baskets as Albion built a 58-51 lead with nine minutes to play. Travell Oakes scored a layup as Albion led 60-53 with 8:45 on the clock.
Alma cut the margin to 61-60 in less than two minutes as Scott Nikodemski and Isiah Law dialed up from 3-point range.
The teams traded points, and Albion took its final lead of the night when Lawrence Ridgell converted a layup to make the score 64-63 with six minutes to play.
Alma scored the next seven points to seize the lead for good. Brandon Krause produced the first two baskets and Law knocked down a 3-point shot. D.J. Beckman tacked on six points with a 3-point basket and a layup and free throw and Ivy Johnson buried a 3-point shot as the Scots surged to a 79-69 lead with 1:22 left.
Four Alma starters scored in double figures, led by Law with 30. Law was 8-of-10 from 3-point range and he hit all four of his shots from the free throw line. Krause chipped in with 17 points, Beckman finished with 12 and Nikodemski produced 10 points and six assists.
Lawrence Ridgell finished with 16 points for Albion. Jordan Herron fell a rebound shy of a double-double, turning in 10 points and nine rebounds. Kazen and Oakes finished with 10 points apiece.
Albion slipped into a tie with Trine University for third place in the MIAA. Next up for the Britons (11-9 overall, 5-3 MIAA) is a Saturday road trip to Holland, Mich., to challenge league-leading Hope College.