Barnes delivers in clutch time

Barnes delivers in clutch time

ALBION, Mich. – Albion College has won its last 15 men's basketball games decided by six points or less.

Jamezell Davis, Jr. usually delivers the shots from the backcourt in clutch time.

It was MJ Barnes' turn on Sunday.

Barnes buried a pair of 3-point baskets in the final four minutes as the Britons pulled out a 69-64 victory over the Rose-Hulman (Ind.) Institute of Technology at Kresge Gymnasium.

It was the fifth win in a row for Albion which improved to 5-1 on the year.

Rose-Hulman, playing without preseason All-American Craig McGee, proved to be a difficult matchup for Albion. Albion Head Coach Jody May described Rose-Hulman as a team that plays a style that resembles the University of Virginia. The Fightin' Engineers were patient on offense, waiting for Albion to breakdown on defense late in the shot clock.

Neither team led by more than eight all day. The game featured 10 lead changes and the score was tied eight times.

Barnes' "three" from the corner put Albion in front, 63-55, with less than two minutes to play. He finished with a season-high 11 points, scoring in double figures for the eighth time in his collegiate career.

Quinton Armstrong led all players with 18 points. Armstrong finished a pair of nifty transition layups, finishing passes from Davis. Armstrong, who has scored in double figures five times this season, finished a rebound shy of completing a double-double.

Davis (12), Cortez Garland (11) and Caden Ebeling (10) also scored in double figures for the Britons.

Max Chaplin and Trey Wurtz scored 12 apiece for Rose-Hulman.

Albion will be idle from competition for two weeks. The Britons return to action Dec. 17 when it squares off against DePauw (Ind.) University in the opening round of the Don Lane Classic in Lexington, Ky.

For the latest information on the team, follow @AlbionMBB on Twitter and albion.mbb on Instagram. General athletic news can also be found @gobrits on Twitter, AlbionAthletics on Instagram and Albion College Athletics on Facebook.

Joe and Julie Serra have given a $5 million leadership gift to launch a fundraising initiative to make two dreams a reality at Albion College. The first is a newly expanded fitness and student activity facility at the site of the current Dow Recreation and Wellness Center. The second is a new or renovated competition facility for the volleyball, men's basketball and women's basketball teams that currently call Kresge Gymnasium home.

The College is continuing to raise funds in support of both projects. To learn more, call 517/629-0446 or email advancement@albion.edu