Albion, ranked 15th in the latest D3hoops.com national poll, pushed its season record to 6-0. The Britons have nine days to concentrate on the end of the fall semester and final examinations before continuing non-league play with a Dec. 18 home game against local rival Spring Arbor University.
Thomas finished one point shy of matching the career high 34 points he posted at DePauw (Ind.) University last season. It's the third time Thomas has scored 30 or more points in a game. Thomas has now score 1,056, and needs 10 more to tie Scott Clement (1970-74) for 15th on the Albion men's basketball all-time scoring ladder.
Manchester outscored Albion, 15-5, over the first four minutes of the contest as Wes Gardner and Julian Guess combined for five points apiece. The Spartans held a 17-7 lead when Gardner scored a layup with 14 minutes left on the first half clock.
Thomas then carried the Britons on his back, scoring 10 points in a minute to cut the Manchester lead to 19-17. A three-point field goal by junior guard Mike Bailey pulled the Britons within one, and two free throws by sophomore guard Zak Silas gave Albion a lead it would not relinquish for the reminder of the game.
Albion steadily built on its lead for the remainder of the first half, extending the advantage to as much as 13 points, 41-28, when sophomore forward Evan Way scored a layup with 1:22 on the clock. Albion took a 41-31 lead to the locker room at halftime.
Eric Berger tried to rally Manchester at the start of the second half, scoring four points in the opening minute. Guess added a basket to pull the Spartans within four, 41-37, with 17 minutes left in regulation.
Thomas quickly headed off the Spartan run with four points of his own on a jumper and a pair of free throws to build Albion's lead back up to eight, 45-37. Thomas later scored a jumper and three-point field goal as the Britons looked to have the game well under control with an 11-point cushion, 57-46, at the nine-minute mark.
Manchester, however, wouldn't go away as it pulled within five points on three occasions. Albion kept the Spartans in the game late by missing four consecutive free throws. Guess canned a three-point field goal to bring Manchester within four, 68-64, with 33 seconds remaining.
Thomas sank three free throws in the last 25 seconds to preserve Albion's victory.
Eight Britons scored in the game, but Thomas was the only one to reach double figures. Senior forward Travis DePree finished with nine points, and Silas contributed eight.
Senior forward Will Braaksma led Albion on the boards, pulling down seven rebounds.
Berger scored 21 points to lead Manchester, which fell to 3-3 on the season. Guess and Gardner added 14 and 12 points, respectively.
ALBION COLLEGE (6-0) Mike Thomas 11-20 7-10 33; Travis DePree 4-9 1-3 9; Zak Silas 2-4 2-2 8; Mike Bailey 2-4 0-0 6; Brandon Crawford 1-2 3-6 5; Evan Way 2-2 0-0 4; Lonny Fulse 1-5 1-2 4; Will Braaksma 1-3 0-0 2; Mark Smith 0-0 0-0 0; Rick Palmer 0-2 0-0 0; Garrett Gibbons 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-52 14-23 71. MANCHESTER COLLEGE (3-3) BERGER, Eric 9-13 3-5 21; GUESS, Julian 5-12 1-2 14; GARDNER, Wes 4-8 2-4 12; CAIN, Jon 3-5 0-0 8; MATTINGLY, David 2-6 0-0 4; WADE, Jamaal 1-5 1-1 3; HAMMOND, Derek 1-9 0-0 2; BAMBO, Cornelius 0-0 0-0 0; READ, Jim 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-58 7-12 64. Albion College................ 41 30 - 71 Manchester College............ 31 33 - 64 3-point goals-Albion College 9-22 (Mike Thomas 4-9; Mike Bailey 2-4; Zak Silas 2-3; Lonny Fulse 1-3; Rick Palmer 0-1; Garrett Gibbons 0-1; Travis DePree 0-1), Manchester College 7-18 (GUESS, Julian 3-5; GARDNER, Wes 2-4; CAIN, Jon 2-2; HAMMOND, Derek 0-4; WADE, Jamaal 0-1; MATTINGLY, David 0-2). Fouled out--Albion College-None, Manchester College-None. Rebounds-Albion College 29 (Will Braaksma 7), Manchester College 32 (GUESS, Julian 7). Assists-Albion College 14 (Mike Thomas 5), Manchester College 13 (HAMMOND, Derek 4). Total fouls-Albion College 16, Manchester College 17. A-592