ADRIAN, Mich. – The Trine University men's basketball team used an excellent second half to down Adrian College 82-65 and complete the season sweep of their Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival.
The Thunder (17-8, 10-4 MIAA) will be no lower than the three seed and await the result of Albion College at Calvin University to see if they can move up to second. The Bulldogs (5-20, 4-10 MIAA) wrap up their regular season and look ahead to the expanded postseason tournament.
Trine took an 8-4 lead behind four points by Mitchell Geller [Huntington, Ind. / Huntington North] and a made three by Aiden Warzecha [Milford, Mich. / Milford]. Adrian scored four points to tie the game up, but Warzecha was able to secure an and-one inside and Bryce Williams [Archbold, Ohio / Archbold] knocked down a three to give the Thunder momentum.
At the halfway point in the first half, the score was tied at 15, but a Brent Cox [Kendallville, Ind. / East Noble] offensive rebound allowed Nick Bowman [Angola, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern] to find Grant Pahl [Sylvania, Ohio / Southview] in the corner for three. Williams hit another shot from long range, and then it was Connor Jones [Danville, Ind. / Danville] who contributed to the three-point play party with an and-one to go up 24-22.
Emmanuel Megnanglo [Cotonou, Benin / Amelia Academy] made a jump shot near the free throw line for two that knotted the game up at 29, however the Bulldogs scored 11 of the next 13 total points in the game and took a 42-34 lead into the locker room. Megnanglo also rocked the rim with a two-handed dunk on an offensive rebound near the end of the period.
Adrian wasted no time in taking a double-digit lead at 46-36 just over two minutes into the second half, but from there, Trine scored 14 in a row and 18 of the next 20 to power their way back into the lead. Connor Jones had six points in the run and four by Warzecha to stake a 54-48 claim on the lead.
Adrian was able to erase the deficit and tie the game up at 55 with less than nine minutes to play. Once again, a huge scoring run for the visitors would put them ahead. Williams started things with a three-point field goal, his third of the game. Bowman secured an offensive rebound two possessions later for an easy lay-up to make it a five-point game.
From there, it was the defense of Megnanglo with a pair of soul-sucking blocks took all the energy out of the Adrian faithful and Trine turned both blocks into offense on the other end. When it was all said and done, the Thunder held a 69-55 lead, bookended by a Bowman and-one.
Already up double figures, Connor Jones was sent to the free throw line 12 times and knocked down 11 en route to a new career-high of 20 points. Nate Carbaugh [Fort Wayne, Ind. / North Side] also saw time and hit a jumper to make it 82-65.
Along with the 20 by Connor Jones, Bowman netted 18 points and Williams chipped in with 14 points. Megnanglo was credited with nine boards and five blocked shots.
The Thunder outrebounded the Bulldogs 43-33 and Trine won the turnover battle 19-11.
By virtue of their success this season, Trine men's basketball will host a MIAA Quarterfinal game on Tuesday, February 22.