ALMA, Mich.-- A strong close to the first half and quick second-half start blew open a close game and paced Trine to a 71-57 victory over Alma Saturday afternoon at Art Smith Arena.
The Thunder outscored the Scots 22-4 in a stretch of play spanning from the 4:07 mark of the first half to 15:04 remaining in the contest. That span of just over nine minutes of play turned a four-point Trine lead into a 46-24 advantage with 15:04 to play. Freshman Emily Whiteleather (Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City) had the best game of her Trine career thus far, notching her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Whiteleather knocked down 7-of-12 field goal attempts. Raeanna Zink led the Scots with 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Trine improves to 11-5 overall, 5-2 in the MIAA. Alma falls to 6-10 overall and 1-6 in league play.
Eight Thunder players scored six or more points. Kayla Dunn (Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City) scored nine points and came away with five steals. Taylor Cole (Mount Pleasant, Mich./Shepherd) and Kyleigh Hampton (Wabash, Ind./Wabash) each added eight points. Kelsey Henselmeier (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) dished out six assists.
The Thunder shot 46 percent from the field (28-of-61). Trine outrebounded Alma by a 42-32 margin.
Mallory Pruett added 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting. Tara Padgett came off the bench to add nine points. The Scots shot 40 percent from the field (23-of-57), and knocked down just 1-of-14 (7 percent) from long-distance.
Four points from Dunn, a pair of free throws by Cole and an old-fashioned three-point play by Henselmeier provided the offense in a 9-2 run to close the first half to give the Thunder a 33-22 lead at the break.
Six-straight points from Nikky Moan (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove) helped Trine push the lead to 15 early in the second half. A three by Dunn, a jumper by Whitney Shaffer (Tipton, Ind./Tri-Central) and a layup by Whiteleather capped the 22-4 surge and gave the Thunder a 22-point lead with 15:04 to play. Alma did not pull within 20 points again until 1:51 remained in the contest.
Whiteleather scored Trine's first six points of the contest to pace the start to her first collegiate double-double. The freshman tied her career-high of 10 rebounds.
Trine returns to action this Wednesday, Jan. 21 at Hope. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.