OLIVET, Mich. -- After winning two straight non-conference games to close out the 2025 calendar year, the Albion men's basketball team dropped to MIAA foe Olivet, 69-59, at the Cutler Event Center to open 2026.

With just over 10 minutes left in the opening half, the Britons maintained a 13-12 lead but lost it on an 8-0 Comets run and never led again.

A Kurtis Rhodes layup with 5:44 left made it 22-20 in favor of Olivet, but the home team closed out the half on a 14-4 run to take a 36-24 advantage into the locker room.

Albion slowly chipped away at the lead into single digits, eventually leading to a 52-46, six-point deficit with 10:57 remaining. However, a 7-0 run by Olivet behind a lively crowd squashed any hope of a Briton comeback.

Despite the Britons making it a six-point game twice in the last four minutes, two turnovers by Albion and missed opportunities defensively led to the 10-point loss.

Michael Umeh (16), Rhodes (13) and Kam Mayes (12) each scored in double figures for Albion, while BJ Hunter chipped in nine points and six assists.

Forty-eight of the Comets' points came in the paint compared to 24 for the Britons.

Up Next
Albion will travel to Kalamazoo on Saturday, January 10 to face the Hornets at 3 p.m.