Lansing sophomore Devlin Bell pulled down a rebound and put it back for two points as the buzzer sounded Wednesday night to give Lansing a huge upset victory over no. 2-ranked Mott, 83-81.
The win was Lansing’s first over Mott since 2009. Bell finished with 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
In the first five minutes of the game, it looked like a sure blowout. Only it wasn’t the eventual winner that appeared primed to win the game going away. Lansing (4-2), in spite of a 17-2 run by Mott (3-1) to start the game, regrouped, erased a seven-point halftime deficit and a six-point deficit with two minutes to go, to pull out the win.
The game turned early in the second half when Lansing employed a 1-2-2 zone that stymied Mott offensively for the better part of the half. Lansing quickly went from down seven to up 11 before a 14-2 run by the Bears put them up six.
Just more than a minute later, sophomore guard Cam Sanchez connected on a deep three to cut Mott’s lead to one with 50 seconds left.
Mott had a chance to go up two with 26 seconds remaining, but forward Ruston Hayward missed both free throws to give Lansing the ball with the game tied at 81. The pair accounted for Mott’s only two free throw misses in the game.
The loss spoiled an outstanding performance by Mott shooting guard Malik Albert. The sophomore poured in 40 points on 15-for-29 from the field. He out-dueled Lansing’s lead guard Tracy Edmond, who poured in 25. Albert increased his points per game average to 30.
Also overshadowed by the final score for Mott was the play of sophomore small forward Myles Busby, who had his best performance of his career. He scored 10 points with eight rebounds, four steals and two blocks. He was clutch down the stretch for the Bears.
For the second consecutive game, Mott shot well from the field (48 percent); but, unlike Saturday’s game against KVCC, the Bears were atrocious from 3-point range (19 percent on 4-for-21).
Mott must shake this one off before for Saturday night’s game against Kellogg CC at home. The game tips at 7 p.m.