Alma, Mich. - The Alma College men's basketball team extended its home winning streak to nine games on Sunday (Dec. 6) afternoon, pulling out a 67-66 win over visiting North Central (Ill.) at Art Smith Arena. Senior Scott Nikodemski (Rockford, Mich./Rockford) netted a pair of free throws to win it for the Scots (3-3 overall), which have won three of their last four games.
Senior DJ Beckman (Shelby, Mich./Shelby) scored a game-high 27 points, marking the first time this season an Alma player has scored more than 20 points. Beckman was 10-of-18 from the field and 4-for-6 from the free throw line.
Junior Trevor Gernaat (McBain, Mich./Northern Michigan Christian) added a season-high 16 points, while Nikodemski scored in double figures for the sixth time this season, contributing 13 points. Junior Tyler Edwards (Flint, Mich./Swartz Creek) tied a career-high with 11 points.
Each team led by five points during the first half, but neither team let the other pull away. Down 38-33 with 2:16 to play in the opening frame, Alma scored the final two baskets to go into the break down by one, 38-37. The Cardinals opened the second half with the first five points to claim a six-point lead, but the Scots battled back, eventually tying the game at 51-51 with 11:20 to play.
Alma took a four-point lead at 65-61 with 4:27 left to play on a layup by Beckman, but North Central responded, scoring the next five points to lead 66-65 with 2:29 to go. The Scots had a chance to take the lead, but a missed three-pointer by Gernaat gave North Central the ball with 1:52 to go. The Cardinals' Connor Raridon missed a shot to extend the lead with 1:22 left before Nikodemski was fouled with just over a minute to go.
After Nikodemski, who was 4-for-4 from the line in the game, made his two shots, the Alma defense held. North Central's Kevin Honn missed a three with under a minute to play, and a pair of defensive rebounds by Gernaat, including one on a missed free throw with 16 seconds left, sealed the victory. Gernaat finished the game with a team-high seven rebounds.
Alma was outshot in the game as the scored hit .436 from the floor while North Central was 29-for-62 (.468). The Cardinals also outrebounded the Scots by a 42-30 margin. Alma's defense forced 14 turnovers.
The Scots will not hit the road for the next six games, starting next Saturday, Dec. 12) when they travel to Wheaton, Ill., to face the Wheaton College Thunder. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. (Eastern) at King Arena on the Wheaton College campus.
NOTES
• Alma won all nine of its home games in the 2015 calendar year, and has not lost at home since December 13, 2014.
• In three games against schools from the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), Alma is 2-1.
• The win was the first for Alma in games decided by five or less points. Two of Alma's three losses have come by a combined four points.
• The Scots went to the line 17 times as opposed to North Central's seven free throw attempts. That marks the first time this season Alma has attempted more free throws than its opponent.
• DJ Beckman scored a season-high 27 points. Beckman also moved into the top 10 career scoring list, surpassing Anthony Jones (1,024 points from 2003-05). Beckman now has 1,045 points in his career, 153 points away from the ninth spot, held by Jeff Meath (1,198 points from 1977-81).
• Tyler Edwards tied a career-high with 11 points.
• Scott Nikodemski hit double figures for the sixth time this season, and has scored 10 or more points in each of his last seven appearances, dating back to the final game last season.
• Doug Bradfield dished out a career-high four assists, topping his previous best of three helpers. Bradfield also added three blocks and now has 13 for the season. In his second season with the Scots, Bradfield has 56 blocks, seventh all-time in Alma history.