ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University men's basketball team defeated Hope (Mich.) College, 91-52, in a non-conference game at the MTI Center in Angola, Ind.
The Thunder forced 27 turnovers which led to 40 points, and committed just six turnovers offensively in the game. Additionally, Trine shot 58.1 percent (36-of-62) from the field and had 15 steals defensively.
Junior Nick Bowman (Angola, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) led all players in scoring with 23 points on nine-of-16 shooting (56.3 percent) to go along with three assists and four steals. Sophomore Brent Cox (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) was second with 17 points and also grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Junior Bryce Williams (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold) was the other Trine player to score in double figures with 11 points and was one of four players to end the game with four assists.
Trine (8-0) began the game with five points to take the early lead, but Hope (2-2) came right back with five points of its own to even the contest at 5-5. The Thunder never ended up trailing in the game, but the Flying Dutchmen would later even the score again at 7-7 with 14:44 to go in the first half.
That was where Trine began to distance itself from its opponent as the Thunder outscored the Dutchmen, 15-2, over a period of 5:47 to go up by 13 points, 22-9, following a jumper by sophomore Connor Jones (Danville, Ind./Danville) at the 8:57 mark. Trine continued to pull away and posted a 21-point advantage with just under four minutes to go in the half after a three-pointer by Williams that made it a 39-18 game.
Hope looked to make a push in the final minutes and narrowed the gap to 13 points after outscoring Trine, 10-2, to make the score 41-28 with 1:05 to go. Trine scored a pair of baskets in the final minute by Cox and Bowman to only one bucket by Hope to increase the margin to 15 points, 45-30, heading into the break.
Trine outscored Hope in the second half, 46-22, and began the period with an 8-3 run to extend the lead back to 20 points or more after a layup by Cox that was set up by a steal by Bowman for score of 53-33. Hope got to within 15 points, 57-42, at the 14:09 mark, but an ensuing 13-0 scoring run as part of a larger 23-6 burst gave the home team its first 30-point lead of the game of 32 points, 80-48, with 5:40 left in the game.
The Thunder went on to record a large lead of 41 points a few minutes later following an 11-0 run that ended in a triple by sophomore Christian Knox (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti Community) with 2:18 remaining. The Knox triple was the final points of the game for Trine as Hope added a layup before time expired, but the night belonged to Trine as the Thunder went on to the 91-52 final.
Trine is scheduled to travel to Albion, Mich. to take on Albion College on Saturday, Feb. 6. The two teams are set to tip-off at 3 p.m.