ANGOLA, IND. -- Junior Brandi Dawson (Garrett, Ind./Garrett) scored a double-double as the Trine University women's basketball team used a 37-point second half to come away with a 57-47 win against Hanover College in a non-conference game at Hershey Hall.
Dawson scored 13 points on five-of-10 shooting (50.0 percent) and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to post her first double-double of the season. Senior Hayley Martin (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) led all scorers with a game-high 14 points on 50.0 percent shooting (seven-of-14) and also grabbed seven boards.
The Trine offense came out sluggish in the first half shooting nine-of-29 (31.0 percent) overall, including just two-of-13 (15.4 percent) from three-point range, and scored 20 points. Trine (5-0) jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, with four points coming from Hayley Martin, en route to a 9-2 advantage at the 4:03 minute mark of the first quarter. Hanover (3-2) ended the period outscoring the Thunder, 8-4, to make it a three-point game after the first 10 minutes, 13-10.
The second quarter belonged to the Panthers as the Thunder were held to just seven points in the period. Hanover took its first lead of the game at the 7:19 mark and later led by as many as six points, 23-17, as part of a 9-0 scoring run with 1:48 to go in the half. Junior Shaely Duff (Greenfield, Ind./Mount Vernon) connected on a three-pointer for Trine to end the scoring as the team trailed by three points, 23-20, going into the locker rooms.
Momentum began to shift to Trine in the third quarter as the Thunder put up 20 points in the frame. Hanover maintained its three-point edge, 28-25, with just over five minutes to play when the Thunder began to make their move. One-of-two free-throws by junior Montana Martin (Columbia City, Ind./Churubusco) sparked a 9-0 run for Trine that ended on a jumper by senior Jade Abenth (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage) and put the Thunder out in front, 36-30, at the 2:08 mark. Following a three-point by Hanover to cut the margin in half, Trine scored the final four points of the quarter on a bucket by Duff and a pair of free-throws by junior Shelby Oldham (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) to extend the lead to seven points, 40-33, heading into the final quarter.
Trine continued to pull away in the fourth quarter and recorded its first double-digit lead with 6:45 left in the game on a basket by Dawson to make the score, 46-35. The Thunder went on to lead by as many as 13 points on two occasions with the last one coming with 39 seconds remaining after a pair of free-throws by junior Cassidy Williams (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold). The Panthers connected on a triple to end the scoring, but it came a bit too late as Trine went on to post a 57-47 win and improve to 5-0 on the season.
The Trine defense held Hanover to 33.3 percent shooting (14-of-42) for the game and forced 20 turnovers.
Trine will wrap-up its three-game homestand on Wednesday, Nov. 29 when it hosts Franklin College at Hershey Hall. The game will be part of a basketball doubleheader with the Thunder men's team. The women will tip-off against the Grizzlies at 6 p.m., followed by the men against Heidelberg (Ohio) University at 8 p.m.