SOUTHFIELD, MICH. -- Sophomore Sam Underhill (Grand Rapids, Mich./Northview) scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to record her first collegiate double-double and help lead the Trine University women's basketball team to a 66-43 win against Lawrence Tech (Mich.) University in the season opener in Southfield, Mich.
Underhill was one of three Trine players to score in double figures that included a game-high 15-point effort by junior Tara Bieniewicz (Chesterfield, Mich./Dakota) on six-of-11 shooting (54.5 percent) and three-of-five from three-point range.
Junior Kaylee Argyle (Freeland, Mich./Freeland) tied Underhill in scoring with 10 points to round out the double-digit scorers.
Lawrence Tech (1-4) had a slim advantage in the early minutes of the first quarter when a layup by Bieniewicz began an 8-0 scoring run that put Trine (1-0) out in front by five points, 12-7, with 2:24 left in the period. The Blue Devils netted the final points of the quarter on a layup, but the Thunder still maintained a three-point margin, 14-11, after the first 10 minutes.
Trine began quarter number two with back-to-back layups to increase the lead to seven points, 18-11, but consecutive baskets by Lawrence Tech cut the margin back to three points, 18-15, with 7:38 to play in the half. Later in the frame, the Blue Devils pulled to within two points with just under two minutes to go, 26-24, when the Thunder went on an 8-1 run highlighted by a layup and three-pointer by Kaylee Argyle and made it a nine-point game, 34-25, with 40 seconds left. The three-pointer by Kaylee Argyle that ended the run, also ended the scoring in the half as Trine boasted a 34-25 lead at the intermission.
The second half saw Trine outscore Lawrence Tech, 32-18, and held the home team to nine points in both the third and fourth quarters. The Thunder put distance between themselves and the Devils with a 23-9 third quarter. Leading by seven points, 36-29, at the 8:51 mark, Trine scored 12 consecutive points as part of a larger 17-3 scoring streak that ended in a layup by senior Sophia Kreag (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) and gave the Thunder their first 20-point lead of the afternoon and a score of 53-32. The lead remained above the 20-point plateau for Trine when time expired in the quarter with a 23-point difference, 57-34, heading into the final period.
Trine tallied the first six points of the fourth quarter to post its largest lead of the game of 29 points, 63-34, with 8:43 to go in the contest. The Thunder later matched their large lead at the 5:34 mark following a layup by Kaylee Argyle that made the score, 65-36. Lawrence Tech ended the game on a 7-1 run in the final 5:34, but Trine had the win secured and went on to the 66-43 final.
Trine is scheduled to travel to Adrian, Mich. to take on Siena Heights University in a non-conference matchup tomorrow (Sunday, Nov. 8). The game is set to begin at 3 p.m.