ADRIAN, MICH. -- The Trine University men's basketball team suffered an 80-72 defeat at the hands of Adrian (Mich.) College in the championship game of the 2020 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament hosted by Albion (Mich.) College at Kresge Gymnasium in Albion, Mich.
The title game lived up to the hype as the two teams battled back-and-forth all night as the score was tied a total of 10 times and changed hands eight times during the contest. Adrian (17-11) jumped out to an early 7-2 lead to start the first half until a three-pointer by senior Jake Daniels (Grand Blanc, Mich./Holly) began a 10-2 scoring run for Trine (16-12) which gave the Thunder a slim 10-9 advantage at the 15:37 mark.
The Bulldogs answered with a scoring run of their own of 11 straight points to go up by double figures, 20-10, with 11:30 left before halftime. Trine narrowed the gap down to five points, 24-19, following a three-pointer by senior Marcus Winters (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) at the seven-minute mark. A pair of Adrian free-throws put the Bulldogs ahead by seven points when another triple by Winters sparked a 10-0 run that lasted 3:20 and gave Trine a three-point margin with under three minutes to play before the break.
Both offenses went cold to end the half as the only points scored in the final 2:46 was an Adrian three-pointer that came with just over two minutes left. But the triple would end the Trine scoring streak as the two teams went into the locker rooms deadlocked at 29-29.
The back-and-forth pace picked up in the second half as Adrian broke the tie with a layup to start the scoring in the period. Daniels then connected on a three-pointer during Trine's first offensive possession of the second period, but Adrian quickly regained the lead on their next trip down the floor and went on to have a five-point lead, 46-41, at the 14:47 mark. Trine then scored seven unanswered points that included a jumper by senior Maurice Hunter (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) that gave the Thunder a two-point edge, 48-46, with 12:43 to go in regulation.
Adrian tied the game multiple times during the next several minutes, but would not take the lead until the 8:17 mark with a pair of free-throws. The Bulldogs wouldn't trail in the game again despite Trine batting back to within four points late, 76-72, after a three-pointer by Winters with under a minute to go. Adrian put the game away with four free-throws down the stretch as the previous Winters triple was the final made field goal of the game for Trine which allowed Adrian to come away with the 80-72 victory.
Freshman Brent Cox (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) recorded his second double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Daniels led the team in scoring with 17 points on five-of-10 shooting (50.0 percent), including three-of-seven (42.9 percent) from long range. Winters was second with 16 points, aided by four triples on the night. Daniels and Winters also had three assists.
Senior Langston Johnson (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central scored 13 points and had a game-high five helpers and Hunter rounded out the high scorers with 11 points.
