ALLIANCE, Ohio – Albion College had its best defensive stretch of the young season, holding the University of Mount Union scoreless for 6 ½ minutes as it rallied from as many as 12 points down in the second half to secure a 73-72 victory in non-league men's basketball action.
Albion trailed 66-56 when JJ Kukura knocked down a 3-point basket with 7:28 to play. Mount Union missed its next nine shots and it turned the ball over twice during the scoring drought.
"I told the guys at a timeout with 7:24 left that if we were going to get this done it would be with defense and rebounding," Albion Head Coach Jody May said.
While Mount Union was unable to score, Briton guards Darius Branch and Corey Wheeler combined to score 15 of Albion's final 17 points. Branch hit a 3-point shot from the top of the key as Albion trailed, 66-65, with three minutes left.
Wheeler produced one of the signature moments of the game on Albion's next possession, pulling down an offensive rebound and putting it back for a 67-66 lead with 2:12 to play.
Another signature moment came with Albion clinging to a 69-66 lead with 1:16 left. Kirk Douglas blocked DeAllen Jackson's layup attempt and he cleared the defensive rebound. Branch later tacked on a pair of free throws as the Albion lead ballooned to 71-66 with a minute to play.
The Britons committed turnovers on their next two possessions. Miles Griffin and Kukura scored baskets as Mount Union regained a 72-71 lead with 27 seconds left.
Branch hit a pair of free throws with 14 seconds left to give Albion the lead for good as Kukura misfired from 3-point range as time expired.
Branch, a first-year guard, from Chicago produced a season-high 20 points, hitting 6 of 10 shots from the field and 6 of 8 from the line.
Wheeler stuffed the box score with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Adam Davis, inserted into the starting lineup with Caden Ebeling and Jason Zahran sidelined by injuries, chipped in with a career-high 15 points and seven rebounds.
"Corey is our best rebounder," May said of Wheeler, a 5' 11" junior from Detroit. "It wasn't surprising how the ball ended up in his hands.
"Adam is an example of what Albion basketball is about," May added. "You never know when your name is going to be called. Adam was ready."
Albion, now 2-2 on the season, returns home Friday for a non-league game against the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The tip is scheduled for 7 o'clock inside Kresge Gymnasium.
"I think we're talented and we can score points," May said. "Our ability to defend and rebound will be the key to our success this year. When we do that we can be a really good team. We need to do that for longer stretches."