ADRIAN, Mich. – The opportunity was there for the men's basketball team against Calvin on Wednesday (Jan. 14) as the Bulldogs trailed 52-49 with 4:38 left. The Knights held Adrian without a field goal for the remainder of the game (0-of-8) and scored the game's final nine points in a 61-49 outcome. Both teams entered the game at 2-0 in the MIAA and Adrian battled back-and-forth before having the late cold spell from the floor. The game featured nine ties and nine lead changes and proved to be a contest where each team's top scorers had an off night. Jordan Brink averaged 22 points per game for Calvin entering play and finished with nine points. Rickey Jackson, Jr. averaged 15.4 points coming in and scored eight points.

In the first half, Adrian held Calvin to 37.5 percent shooting. In the second half, the Knights increased that percentage to 50 going 11-of-22 including 4-of-10 from behind the arc. The Bulldogs also shot better in the second half going 12-of-28 (42.9) but shot 1-of-8 behind the arc after going 5-of-9 in the first half. Two big differences on the stat sheet was Calvin going 14-of-16 at the free throw line compared to just 1-of-1 for the Bulldogs. The Knights also out-rebounded Adrian 39-21 allowing Adrian to grab just four offensive rebounds.

The first half ended with Calvin holding a 25-23 lead after five ties and one lead change. Jamison Webster had made three triples entering the game but went 2-of-2 in the half with eight points. Ben Rodak also made three triples and scored nine points in the opening 20 minutes. Calvin took a 15-8 lead through the first eight minutes and then Adrian scored a basket by Curtis Gordon and a three-pointer by Rodak to trail 15-13. The Knights built a 21-13 lead with 6:38 left in the half and looked to beat the shot clock with a three-pointer. The shot was ruled no good due to a shot clock violation and that break helped the Bulldogs. They went on an 8-0 run to tie the game at 21-21 with 3:58 left in the half. Rodak hit a pair of three's sandwiched between a basket by Jackson, Jr.

Gordon scored the first two points of the second half and then Jordan Daley and Tyler Dykstra for Calvin hit back-to-back triples followed by a Brink basket to make it 33-25 three and a half minutes into the second half. Adrian answered again and took a 34-33 lead at the 13:33 mark after a layup by Jackson, Jr. It was a one-possession game over the next five minutes before Cameron Denney's layup made it 45-41 with 8:23 to go.

In the game's final 4:38 when Adrian trailed by three, Brink scored a fast-break layup followed by a jumper. Daley and Austin Parks then hit four straight free throws making it 60-49 with 41 seconds left. Justin Webster had a solid offensive game with a team-high 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Rodak finished with 12 points and three assists in 36 minutes. Parks led the Knights with 10 points while Dykstra and Daley finished with nine. Adrian (4-10, 2-1) will hit the road on Saturday for a 3 p.m. tip against Albion (8-5, 1-2).