ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University men's basketball team advanced to the semifinal round of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament with a 92-63 victory against the Adrian College Bulldogs.
The number three-seed Thunder (18-8) used a 17-board difference in the rebounding battle 47-30 to upend the sixth-ranked Bulldogs (5-21). Trine scored 52 of their 92 points in the paint and utilized a 15-4 advantage on the fast break in the win as well as a 52.9% (37-of-70) shooting percentage.
Prior to the game, the men's basketball All-MIAA recipients were announced, with Nick Bowman [Angola, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern] garnering First Team honors for the second time in his career, Bryce Williams [Archbold, Ohio / Archbold] earning Second Team All-MIAA and Mitchell Geller [Huntington, Ind. / Huntington North] receiving Second Team All-MIAA, his first all-conference award.
"I'm really proud of what we've had to battle through this year," head coach Brooks Miller said postgame. "You (Andy Brown, Trine broadcaster) talked to me the other day about the differences between this year's team and last year's, and it's a different team. The most important thing is we are back in the MIAA semifinals for the 11th straight season. The consistency of that, I'm extremely proud of these young men. We've got another opportunity and we're in the hunt!"
Three-point field goals came early and often for the Thunder as Williams and Bowman each connected on two shots from distance to claim a 12-4 lead just over three minutes in. Emmanuel Megnanglo [Cotonou, Benin / Amelia Academy] made it a double-digit advantage on the next possession with a mid-range jump shot.
The Bulldogs worked to cut into the lead, but struggled to break the bubble to get it to within one possession. They got it to a four-point game at the halfway mark in the period, but Brent Cox [Kendallville, Ind. / East Noble] secured one of 15 team offensive rebounds on the night and put it back in to go up 26-20.
Bowman found Williams for three coming out of a timeout to spark a 10-2 scoring run. Aiden Warzecha [Milford, Mich. / Milford] got in the scoring column with a made three out of the post from Geller. Geller would finish the run with a made lay-up off a steal by Williams and that led to the big man scoring six in a row for Trine.
Connor Jones [Danville, Ind. / Danville] had six points in the final two minutes and change of the first half as the Thunder torched the nets with red hot shooting. Trine led 51-35 at the break on 57.1% (20-of-35) shooting.
The junior guard Connor Jones carried his scoring efforts into the second half with two makes in the first 1:19. Back-to-back dunks by Bowman and Megnanglo extended the home squad's lead to 20-plus at 62-41. Hayden Jones [Kendallville, Ind. / East Noble] was able to find the big man for the slam.
The lead continued to build in the second half for the Thunder with two straight makes broken up by a score from the Bulldogs. Trine never went on more than a seven-point run in the period, but outscored their opponents by 13 in the second half.
Makes by Nate Carbaugh [Fort Wayne, Ind. / North Side] and Rilye Cox [Plymouth, Ind. / La Ville] allowed the Thunder to take their largest lead of the night at 84-50 with five minutes remaining.
Griffin Lorimer [Spring Lake, Mich. / Spring Lake] made a lay-up late in the game to run the same 34-point tally as the senior class of Bowman, Williams, Warzecha and Geller received a curtain call in what could be their final game inside MTI Center with classmate Reese McGinsie looking on. Lorimer would get the same treatment from the Thunder faithful with under a minute remaining, but not before getting two more points off a find by freshman Ryan Preston [Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll].
The Bulldogs would give their senior class a moment of glory in the closing minutes as well, but ultimately came up short in the Quarterfinal game, 92-63.
Bowman had a fantastic all-around effort with team highs in points (17) and assists (7), while also pulling down six rebounds. Geller had 14 points, a team-high seven boards and dished out three dimes from the low post area. Connor Jones was in double figures for the second straight game with 13 this evening. Williams had 12 points, all coming in the first half via three-point field goals. The senior guard was credited with a team-high three steals on the defensive end of the floor.
Looking ahead to the next round, the senior guard Bowman had this to say about facing Calvin for the third time this season, "I love where we are, I wouldn't want to be with another group of guys. We know Calvin well, a lot of them are fifth-year guys besides (Uchenna) Egekeze, a sophomore and MIAA Defensive Player of the Year this year. They're physical, they can shoot, post up, and they rebound really well. It's the postseason now, every single play matters. We have to come ready for it Friday."
Trine will travel to Calvin University to play the number two seed Knights in the MIAA Semifinals on Friday, February 25. Tip-off is slated for 7 pm.