Men's Basketball Recap - Adrian 70, Alma 65 - WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events

Men's Basketball Recap - Adrian 70, Alma 65

ALMA, MICH. - With three regular season conference games left there is no room for a slip up. The Bulldog men's basketball team took a road challenge at Alma on Saturday and passed the test with a 70-65 win keeping them in a fourth-place tie with Olivet who defeated Trine. Both teams share 6-6 records in the league now with two games remaining. Adrian will travel to Kalamazoo on Wednesday and then host Albion next Saturday. Olivet will travel to Hope on Wednesday and Calvin on Saturday.

The Bulldogs (17-6, 6-6) completed the season sweep of the Scots but not without a ton of tense moments. Alma jumped ahead early and built a 14-7 lead just over seven minutes into the game. The Scots built their lead to 27-17 with 6:06 left in the first half, but Adrian closed out the half on an 11-4 run to cut the lead to 31-28 at intermission.

Adrian kept themselves in the game but trailed until 3:24 left when they took their first lead of the half at 62-61 after a Sean Gallant layup. The teams traded points on their next possessions but then neither team scored for nearly two minutes until Gallant made two free throws with 35 seconds to play to give AC a 66-63 lead. Alma's Brandon Krause could not convert on the other end and Rickey Jackson was fouled with 20 seconds left. He split at the line to give AC a four-point lead and Krause would miss again sending Eric Lewis to the line. Lewis split from the charity stripe to put the Bulldogs up 68-63 with 10 ticks left. Alma cut the lead to three but fouled Gallant who sealed the win with two freebies with four seconds left for the 70-65 margin.

Gallant shined with 24 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes. He went 8-of-14 from the floor and 8-of-10 at the line. Lewis pumped in 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting and also had eight rebounds and three steals in 37 minutes. Cody Barnes added nine points and nine rebounds in 33 minutes. The Bulldogs shot 49 percent (25-of-51) overall and were 18-of-25 at the free throw line.