Albion (18-6 overall, 8-3 MIAA) remains a game behind Hope College, a 75-64 winner at Calvin College, in the race for the MIAA lead. Hope hosts Alma in its regular season finale Saturday, while Albion travels to Kalamazoo.
Albion got off to a great start, scoring 19 of the game's first 21 points. Senior guard Marcus Gill scored five early points on a layup and three-point field goal, while senior forward Joe Finland knocked down a pair of field goals for four points.
The Britons took a 35-24 lead to the locker room at halftime.
Alma made things interesting at the beginning of the second half, using a 7-0 run to trim the Albion lead to 35-31 with 18 minutes left in regulation.
Albion quickly squelched Alma's comeback hopes with an 18-0 run to jump out to a 53-31 lead with 13:26 left in the game.
The Britons made 51.5 percent of their field goal shots in the second half (17 of 33) and shot 47 percent for the game (31 of 66). Junior guard Michael Thomas led the Britons with 13 points. Gill and sophomore forward Garrett Gibbons scored 10 points apiece. Finland and senior guard Sean Davis contributed nine points each. Senior forward Jeff Burgess finished with eight points and seven rebounds.
Alma (3-21 overall, 1-10 MIAA) received 21 points from Anthony Jones.
ALMA COLLEGE (3-21, 1-10MIAA) Anthony Jones 6-12 5-7 21; Issac Smith 3-5 0-0 8; Greg Nelson 2-6 0-0 5; Domonick Allen 2-5 1-3 5; Eric Jones 2-6 0-0 4; Mike Thompson 1-2 0-0 3; Carlton Hill 1-1 0-0 2; Jamye Fazi 0-6 2-2 2; Brian Hall 1-6 0-0 2; Ricky Clarkson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-50 8-12 52. ALBION COLLEGE (18-6, 8-3 MIAA) Michael Thomas 4-15 2-2 13; Garrett Gibbons 5-9 0-0 10; Marcus Gill 4-8 0-0 10; Sean Davis 3-6 1-1 9; Joe Finland 3-6 3-3 9; Jeff Burgess 3-7 2-2 8; Brandon Crawford 3-5 0-0 6; Will Braaksma 2-2 1-1 5; Travis DePree 2-3 0-0 4; Mike Bailey 1-1 0-0 3; Jamison Turnbull 1-2 0-0 2; Rick Palmer 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 31-66 9-9 79. Alma College.................. 24 28 - 52 Albion College................ 35 44 - 79 3-point goals-Alma College 8-21 (Anthony Jones 4-6; Issac Smith 2-3; Mike Thompson 1-2; Greg Nelson 1-4; Jamye Fazi 0-3; Brian Hall 0-2; Ricky Clarkson 0-1), Albion College 8-23 (Michael Thomas 3-10; Marcus Gill 2-3; Sean Davis 2-4; Mike Bailey 1-1; Rick Palmer 0-1; Jeff Burgess 0-1; Garrett Gibbons 0-3). Fouled out--Alma College-Brian Hall, Albion College-None. Rebounds-Alma College 29 (Eric Jones 6), Albion College 40 (Travis DePree 7; Jeff Burgess 7). Assists-Alma College 12 (Anthony Jones 5), Albion College 22 (Travis DePree 7). Total fouls-Alma College 12, Albion College 13. A-883