ALMA, Mich. – Back on home court after returning from a west coast road thrip, the Alma College men's basketball team played host to Westminster College (PA) for a midday midweek contest. The Scots ran into a hot Titan team that shot 60% from the floor and 47% from three to breeze past the Scots, 100-64.
Westminster knocked down the first basket of the game, followed by a couple Alma makes from Raine Rodich and Josh Elliott to take the lead. Another made layup by Korbin Heitzman in the first two minutes kept the Alma lead before the hot shooting from the Titans would commence. Westminster then held the Scots scoreless from the field and pieced together a 16-1 run to open the game up and take control. Another 18-5 run from the visitors from Pennsylvania brought the Scots deficit to the twenties as Alma was looking for an answer to claw back into the game. The Titans were able to knock down three's left and right shooting 7-14 from beyond the arc in the first half, limiting Alma's push to close the gap in scoring. A buzzer-beating three from Heitzman as time expired in the half sent the Scots into the locker room trailing 54-32.
The Titans picked up where the left off coming out of the locker room as three consecutive three-pointers pushed the Scots down 3 just three minutes into the half. Alma was able to find positives on offense and convert on opportunities, though the Westminster offense kept the pressure on and canceled out the Scots makes. Alma ultimately would not knock the deficit down to a reachable distance and the Titans would head back to Pennsylvania with a 100-64 win in Michigan.
Heitzman led all scorers in the game with 21, shooting 50% from the floor. Heitzman also led the game in rebounds with eight, two away from his third double-double of the season. Joss Bradley, Elliott and Rodich all scored nine for the Scots, with Elliott and Preston Malpass collecting a team-high three assists.
Alma will now have several days before hosting the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater for their last non-conference home game. Tipoff is set for 4:00 PM on Saturday, December 20th.
