Thunder Take Down Muskies in Home Opener

Thunder Take Down Muskies in Home Opener

ANGOLA, IND.  --  Six players scored in double figures in a Trine University men's basketball victory against Muskingum (Ohio) University, 95-73, in the home opener at the MTI Center in Angola, Ind.

Junior Jake Daniels (Grand Blanc, Mich./Holly) led Trine in scoring with 23 points on eight-of-14 shooting (57.1 percent), including connecting on four three-pointers.  Sophomore Mitchell Geller (Huntington, Ind./Huntington North) was second with 18 points to go along with a game-high nine rebounds.  Senior Langston Johnson (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central) was third with 15 points and dished out a game-high six assists.

The trio of senior Marcus Winters (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic), sophomore Bryce Williams (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold) and freshman Brent Cox (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) rounded out the high scorers with 10 points each.  Winters also grabbed six rebounds and had five assists.

Trine (2-2) started off the first half to lead by six points, 10-4, and later extended the margin to nine points following a three-pointer by Williams that made the score, 19-10, with 13:28 to go in the period.  Muskingum (1-2) hung around and got to within three points, 24-21, at the 8:04 mark and eventually made it a one-point contest with a little over five minutes to go.  But a jumper by Langston Johnson sparked a 7-0 scoring run that put Trine out ahead by a more comfortable eight points, 35-27, with 3:42 to play.

The Fighting Muskies looked to rally again just before the end of the half to make it a three-point game, 37-34, with just over a minute on the clock.  Trine added a point to end the half on one-of-two free-throws by sophomore Brandan Johnson (Fort Wayne, Ind./North Side) gave the Thunder a little more breathing room at the break with the score of 38-34.

Trine took over the game in the second half by outscoring Muskingum, 57-39, in the final 20 minutes.  The Muskies kept the game close early on, but the Thunder began to pull away near the midway point of the period when Trine recorded its first double-digit lead after back-to-back triples that led to a 12-point advantage with 12:05 to go, 61-49. 

The lead remained in double figures the rest of the way for Trine who clipped the 20-point plateau for the first time in the contest with 2:07 to play following a jumper by Geller.  Trine went on to post its largest lead of the game with 24 seconds remaining thanks to a pair of free-throws by sophomore Nick Bowman (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) en route to the Thunder winning by the final of 95-73.

Trine returns to action tomorrow (Sunday, Nov. 24) to take on the University of Mount Union in another non-conference contest at the MTI Center.  Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.