OLIVET, Mich.-- Trine withstood a second half challenge from Olivet, taking over down the stretch to earn a 87-74 victory over the Comets in MIAA-action Wednesday night at Cutler Event Center.
The Thunder led by as much as 16 in the opening half, but Olivet was able to fight all the way back to take several leads in the second half. Trine took over down the stretch, using a 10-0 run over a span of 4:12 to spark a 19-6 Thunder advantage over the final 5:31. Will Dixon (Indianapolis, Ind./Zionsville) led four Trine players in double-figures with 29 points on 7-of-14 shooting, with 17 of those points coming in the second half. DeOndre Callahan scored 22 points on a 10-of-16 effort from the field to pace the Comets. Trine improves to 13-5 overall and is 6-1 in MIAA play for the first time in team history. Olivet falls to 3-15, 1-6 in conference play.
A Good drive broke a 68-all tie and jump-started the 10-0 surge. Holmquist added a pair of free throws, before a long Good three and an and-one from the senior made the score 78-68 with 2:27 remaining. Olivet never cut the deficit to single-digits the rest of the way.
The Comets shot 56 percent from the field in the second half, but the Trine defense buckled down when they had to to force five-straight empty possessions.
Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) added 18 points and eight rebounds for Trine. Tyler Good (Swanton, Ohio/Evergreen) scored 16 points, including eight during the deciding 10-0 spurt.
Holmquist surpassed the 800-career point mark, while Good topped 700 career points. Jake Bagley (Van Wert, Ohio/Van Wert) added 13 points and six boards.
A hot start saw the Thunder knock down 13 of their first 20 field goal attempts to open a 30-14 lead midway through the first half. Trine would shoot 56 percent (15-of-27) in the opening frame to take a 37-28 lead into the break.
The Comets hit six of their first eight attempts from the field in the second half to pull within 45-42 with 14:36 to play and lock the game into a dogfight the rest of the contest. A later 16-8 surge put Olivet in front after a Jake Zielinski three made the score 59-58 with 9:25 remaining. A Dixon three momentarily restored the Trine lead, but the teams would trade the lead back and forth numerous times heading into the deciding stretch.
Zielinski added 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting for Olivet. Kevin Woodson came off the bench to add 12 points.
Trine opens the second half of MIAA play this Saturday, Jan. 31 when they travel to Hope. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m.