ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University women's basketball team stayed unbeaten in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play following an 81-36 win against Olivet (Mich.) College at the MTI Center in Angola, Ind.
Trine (9-1, 3-0 MIAA) led, 39-18, at halftime, but trailed early on to start the game as Olivet (1-4, 1-2 MIAA) got the scoring going with a three-pointer to grab a 3-0 lead. The Thunder then scored six straight points to take the lead and never trailed in the game again. The Comets tied the game at 6-6 when Trine went on a 13-4 scoring run that ended in a pair of free-throws by junior Sam Underhill (Grand Rapids, Mich./Northview) which made it a 19-10 game with a little over a minute-and-a-half left in the first quarter. Senior Sophia Kreag (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) tacked on a three-pointer before the end of the quarter to cap the scoring for the Thunder who led by 10 points, 22-12, heading into the second frame.
The Thunder took control of the game in period number two by outscoring the Comets, 17-6, for the quarter. Olivet connected on a jumper in the first minute of the quarter, but a basket by senior Shay Herbert (Pinckney, Mich./Pinckney) was the beginning of 12 unanswered points for Trine as part of a larger 17-4 spurt that ended the half and resulted in a 21-point margin at the break, 39-18.
In the third quarter, the home team continued to pull away and posted its largest lead of the game so far with 3:30 left after a layup by Underhill for a score of 56-21. Olivet outscored Trine, 8-2, over the next 3:18, until a triple by sophomore Alyssa Argyle (Freeland, Mich./Freeland) ended the scoring and put Trine back over the 30-point plateau with a 61-29 lead going into the final 10 minutes.
Trine started the fourth quarter by outscoring Olivet, 13-4, in the first 7:07 to go up by 41 points, 74-33. After a three-pointer by the Comets, Trine scored the final seven points to complete a 20-7 scoring margin in favor of the Thunder for the period en route to cruising to the final score of 81-36.
Junior Kayla Wildman (Rockford, Mich./Rockford) led all players in scoring with 14 points on three-of-nine shooting (33.3 percent) and was six-of-eight (75.0 percent) at the foul line. She also grabbed four rebounds to go along with two assists, a steal and a blocked shot. Junior Kaylee Argyle (Freeland, Mich./Freeland) also scored in double figures with 10 points to round out the high scorers.
Junior Kelsy Taylor (Louisville, Ky./New Albany) had a game-high eight rebounds and also scored six points.
Trine will play its next two games on the road starting with a MIAA matchup against Calvin (Mich.) University on Wednesday (Feb. 17) in Grand Rapids, Mich. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.