So the Britons went on a 15-2 run midway through the second half to roll to a hard-fought - yet anticlimactic - 69-59 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association victory over Tri-State University Wednesday night at Kresge Gymnasium.
The teams were tied four times and traded the lead 10 times in the first half, and the second half was shaping up similarly at first. But then, trailing 50-45 with 9:13 remaining, Albion outscored Tri-State 15-2 over four minutes to take a 60-52 advantage with less than 5 minutes left. At the time, the eight-point lead was the largest for either team.
Sophomore Andrew Holms and first-year Andy Reule each scored four points during the spurt.
The Thunder couldn't get closer than five the rest of the game, and Albion hit 7-of-10 free throws in the final 2-plus minutes to seal it.
Albion improved to 6-13 overall and 4-5 in the MIAA while Tri-State fell to 12-6, 6-2.
Senior Zak Silas shook off a 3-for-12 shooting first half to make four of six shots in the second half and finish with 23 points, just one off his career high. Sophomore Drew Yancey scored 14 points, the most he has had since he scored the same number of points in Albion's loss to Tri-State on Jan. 6. Holms added 12 points for the Britons.
Reule finished with four points, the most he has had since he dropped 10 against Finlandia on Dec. 8.
Both teams suffered through a sloppy first half that featured 13 turnovers and both teams shooting less than 40 percent from the field. Neither team led by more than four as Albion took a 28-24 lead into the locker room.
Yancey was the only Briton who scored with any consistency in the half, shooting 5-for-7 for 10 points.
John Moore led three Tri-State players in double figures with 18 points. Tony Benford added 17 and Maurice Brookins chipped in with 10.
The Britons dominated the Thunder on the glass, outrebounding them 45-26, including 14-5 on the offensive end. This translated into a 16-3 advantage in second-chance points for the Britons. Holms and Silas had seven boards apiece, and Yancey and junior Dean Raven each had six.
Albion will continue MIAA play when it faces league-leading Hope College at 7:30 p.m. at Kresge Gymnasium on Saturday.
TRI-STATE UNIVERSITY (12-7; 6-3 MIAA) John Moore 6-13 5-8 18; Tony Benford 6-18 3-5 17; Maurice Brookins 2-9 4-4 10; Glen Alfieri 4-5 1-1 9; Wes Weir 1-2 0-0 3; Justin Guy 1-4 0-0 2; Donnie Pruitt 0-3 0-0 0; Matt Scudder 0-0 0-0 0; Tyler Lee 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-55 13-18 59. ALBION COLLEGE (6-13; 4-5 MIAA) Zak Silas 7-18 7-8 23; Drew Yancey 7-11 0-1 14; Andrew Holms 5-10 1-4 12; Jim Cash 4-9 2-2 10; Andy Reule 1-2 2-2 4; Robbie Clark 1-4 1-2 3; Bill Leising 1-2 1-2 3; Evan Way 0-0 0-0 0; Isiah Thomas 0-0 0-0 0; Dean Raven 0-0 0-0 0; D.J. Mocini 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-56 14-21 69. Tri-State University.......... 24 35 - 59 Albion College................ 28 41 - 69 3-point goals-Tri-State University 6-24 (Tony Benford 2-7; Maurice Brookins 2-9; John Moore 1-3; Wes Weir 1-2; Donnie Pruitt 0-2; Tyler Lee 0-1), Albion College 3-12 (Zak Silas 2-5; Andrew Holms 1-3; Jim Cash 0-2; Robbie Clark 0-1; Drew Yancey 0-1). Fouled out--Tri-State University-None, Albion College-None. Rebounds-Tri-State University 26 (Glen Alfieri 5; John Moore 5), Albion College 45 (Andrew Holms 7; Zak Silas 7). Assists-Tri-State University 13 (Tony Benford 5), Albion College 18 (Zak Silas 8). Total fouls-Tri-State University 18, Albion College 17. A-198