ANGOLA, IND. -- Sophomore guard Langston Johnson (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central) scored a career-high 26 points to lead the Trine University men's basketball team past Wisconsin Lutheran College, 89-52, on the first day of the St. Andrews Products Classic at Hershey Hall.
Johnson scored all but two of his points from behind the arc with eight triples (eight-of-13 overall) falling two shy of tying the school single-game record. In addition, two other Thunder players scored in double figures with junior Pete Smith (Bristol, Ind./Northridge) scoring 19 points, to go along with a team-high eight rebounds, and junior Myles Copeland (Perrysburg, Ohio/Toledo St. John's) added 13 points.
Freshman Jalen Paul (Fort Wayne, Ind./Churubusco) had another big game distributing the basketball with his second straight contest with 10 assists.
As a team, Trine shot 50.0 percent (34-of-68) for the game, including 50.0 percent (12-of-24) from long range. The Thunder defense held Wisconsin Lutheran to 28.6 percent shooting (16-of-56) and just 11.1 percent (two-of-18) from three-point range, while forcing 22 turnovers which they converted into 31 points.
Trine (3-4) scored the first five points of the game as part of a 13-1 overall run in the first five minutes. Wisconsin Lutheran (1-6) pulled to within five points on several occasions that included a 24-19 margin with 5:36 to go in the first half. An ensuing three-pointer by Smith sparked a 7-0 scoring run for the Thunder to put the home team back ahead by double figures, 31-19, with a little over four minutes remaining.
Trine ended the period by outscoring WLC, 11-2, in the final 2:52 to record its largest lead of the half of 19 points thanks to a triple by Johnson, for a halftime score of 42-23.
The Thunder offfense didn't let up to begin the second half with 10 straight points to increase the overall run to 21-2 and boast a 29-point edge, 52-23, after a layup by Paul. The Trine lead was never threatened the rest of the way and recorded its first 30-point lead with 14:34 to go on a bucket by sophomore Jason Clune (Meadville, Pa./Meadville) to make the score 59-28.
The lead eventually grew to as many as 39 points, 85-46, at the 3:59 mark thanks to another three-pointer by Johnson en route to the Thunder going on to post the 89-52 victory.
Trine will end the St. Andrews Products Classic tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 9) when it takes on No. 3 nationally-ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at Hershey Hall.