GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. -- Four players scored in double figures as the Trine University men's basketball team improved to 6-0 with an 83-65 win against Calvin (Mich.) University at Van Noord Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Junior Nick Bowman (Angola, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) scored 18 of his game-high 28 points in the second half and ended the game going 10-of-16 (62.5 percent) from the floor, including five-of-seven (71.4 percent) from three-point range. He also led the team in rebounding with seven boards. Also scoring in double figures was sophomore Brent Cox (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) who scored 19 points on six-of-nine shooting (66.7 percent) and netted 13 of his points in the first period.
The duo of junior Bryce Williams (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold) and freshman Emmanuel Mengnanglo (Cotonou, Benin/Amelia Academy) rounded out the high scorers with 10 points each. Mengnanglo also added six rebounds to go along with an assist and a blocked shot.
As a team, Trine shot 58.8 percent (30-of-51) from the floor and 55.0 percent (11-of-20) from behind the arc. The Thunder also had a solid effort at the free-throw line going 12-of-15 (80.0 percent). Defensively, Trine forced 18 turnovers which led to 25 points, including 18 fast break points.
Both teams played a competitive first half represented by seven ties and 10 lead changes. Junior Mitchell Geller (Huntington, Ind./Huntington North) and Bowman began the game with back-to-back buckets to give Trine (6-0) an early lead. But Calvin (3-2) came right back with an ensuing 7-0 scoring run to take its first lead of the contest by a score of 7-4 with 17:10 to go in the opening period.
The Knights soon led by four points before the seesaw battle began as Trine scored on consecutive possessions to even the game at 10-10 at the 14:21 mark.
Trine led by as many as four points in the first half with the last one being a 28-24 advantage following a jumper by Mengnanglo with a little over eight minutes remaining. After the Mengnanglo basket, Calvin went on a 9-0 run to post its largest lead of the frame of five points, 33-28, at the 5:56 mark.
The five-point margin was the largest by either team the rest of the way, but a Bowman triple in the final seconds of the first half put Trine ahead on the scoreboard at the break by a score of 44-42.
Trine outscored Calvin, 40-23, in the second half and held the Knights to just 32.1 percent shooting (nine-of-28) and 18.2 percent (two-of-11) from three-point range. Following a layup by Calvin to start the scoring in the final half, Bowman scored the next eight points for Trine with a pair of triples and a dunk to put the Thunder out ahead by seven points, 51-44. The streak of eight unanswered was part of a larger, 13-3, scoring advantage that lead to a nine-point margin, 56-47, after another three-pointer by Bowman at the 16:05 mark.
The Thunder continued to pull away and reached their first double-digit lead with 12:34 to play thanks to a layup by sophomore Christian Knox (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti Community) for a score of 62-52. Trine eventually went on to lead by as many as 18 points late in the period after a Bowman layup which turned out to be the final points of the contest as Trine went to claim the 83-65 victory.
Trine is scheduled to travel to Adrian, Mich. on Saturday, Jan. 30 for a matchup against Adrian College. The two teams are slated to tip-off at 3 p.m.