GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin men's basketball picked up another conference win at home over Olivet with a final score of 89-56 on Wednesday evening. 

The Knights started hot to begin the game and after six straight points by sophomore Uchenna Egekeze (Huntley, IL / Huntley), they led 9-2. The Comets battled right back into the game by going on an 11-5 run to trail 14-13 with 12:35 left in the first half. 

Olivet's intensity started to pick up later in the first half as they led Calvin 27-24 with 7:41 remaining. The game became a close contest, but the Knights gained the 39-33 lead over Comets after a made 3-pointer by senior Emmett Warners (Grand Rapids, MI / Grand Rapid Christian). 

Both teams were going back and forth into halftime, but Calvin had the slight advantage by taking a 44-39 lead into halftime. Senior Luke Morrison (Bristol, IN / Northridge) led the Knights in scoring at half with 11 points followed by Egekeze with 10 points and Alec Fruin (Beloit, WI) with 9 points. 

The Knights shot 12-38 (31.6%) from the field and 8-20 (40%) from the 3-point line. Calvin outrebounded Olivet on the glass 25-20 and finished with 9 total assists. 

Calvin came out cruising in the early minutes of the second half as it went on a 10-0 run to take a 54-39 lead after a layup by Egekeze. The Knights continued to hold their lead over the Comets and led 60-45 with 12:33 left in the game after a made 3-pointer by senior Thad Shymanski (Ada, MI / Grand Rapids Christian). 

The Knights began to close the game out as freshman Logan Van Essesn (Crown Point, IN / Illiana Christian) hit a 3-pointer to put Calvin up 74-45 with 7:47 left in the second half.  Calvin continued on to gain the win with a final score of 89-56. The Knights improve to 11-6 overall and 4-2 in the MIAA. 

Egekeze, Shymanski and Morrison each ended the game with 15 points while Fruin added 11 points to the total as well. Calvin shot 28-71 (39.4%) from the field and 12-31 (38.7%) from the 3-point line. The Knights shot 21-15 (84.0%) from the free throw line and outrebounded the Comets 45-41 on the evening. 

With his 15 points, Shymanski moved past Kim Campbell and Jim Timmer and into 19th place on the Calvin career scoring list. 

COACHES COMMENTS: "I'm glad that was two halves of basketball because the first one wasn't very good," said head coach Bill Sall. "I have to give Olivet a bunch of credit as they are down a bunch of players and (Coach) Sam Hargraves and their players were giving us all we could handle in the first half. We really cleaned up our defense in the second half and did some good things. We still have to find our shot a little on offense end and get some more scoring as the season goes on."

UP NEXT: The Knights will be on the road at Adrian on Saturday, January 29, with tipoff set for 3 p.m.