ANGOLA, IND. -- Junior Myles Copeland (Perrysburg, Ohio/Toledo St. John's) scored a team-high 24 points in a 64-53 loss to No. 3 nationally-ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the final game of the St. Andrews Products Classic at Hershey Hall.
Copeland finished the game shooting nine-of-21 from the floor (42.9 percent) and six-of-seven at the free-throw line (85.7 percent). He also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. The Thunder had one other player score in double figures in junior Pete Smith (Bristol, Ind./Northridge) who tallied 13 points.
Trine (3-5) jumped out to an early 12-5 lead to begin the first half, but a 6-0 scoring run by Whitewater (7-1) cut the margin to a single point, 12-11, with just under 12 minutes to go before halftime.
The Thunder answered the Warhawk run with five unanswered points of their own thanks to a three-point play by Copeland, followed by a jumper by Smith to put Trine out in front by six points, 17-11. Trine equalled its large lead of seven points later in the period which included a 23-16 edge at the 5:54 mark when Whitewater went on a 6-0 run to narrow the gap to a point once again, 23-23, with 3:52 to go.
Trine extended its lead back out to four points shortly after on a pair of free-throws by Copeland, but Whitewater ended the half by outscoring Trine, 9-0, to take its first lead of the game and take a 31-26 advantage into the break.
The second half saw Whitewater score the first five points to complete its 14-0 overall run and lead by 10 points, 36-26, early in the second frame. Trine would have to try and play catchup the rest of the way and pulled to within six points, 54-48, at the 3:01 mark following a jumper by Copeland.
The Warhawks then rattled off four straight points to regain a double-digit lead, 58-48, with under two minutes left on the clock. After a three-pointer by Smith that cut the deficit to seven points, 58-51, Whitewater put the game away at the free-throw line with six straight made attempts to seal a 64-53 win.
Trine will play its final two games of its current homestand beginning on Monday, Dec. 18 when it hosts Wilmington (Ohio) College in a non-conference game at Hershey Hall. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.