ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University women's basketball team dropped a home contest to the University of Wisconsin-Stout on Saturday afternoon 77-76. The Blue Devils scored the final nine points of the game, including the go-ahead field goal with just three seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
The 17th-ranked Thunder fall to 6-2 on the season while Wisconsin-Stout, who entered the week ranked 24th in NCAA DIII, are 9-1 through their first 10 games.
The teams traded scores early in the game, with a three-point play by Sierra Hinds, a made layup by Sidney Wagner and a pair of free throws by Abby Sanner to tie the game at seven through the first three minutes of court time. Jada Rhonehouse capped a 9-0 run by the home squad to go up 14-7 near the halfway point in the first quarter. The lead would remain with Trine for the duration of the period at 22-16 at the end of the first.
Another made three by Wagner, one of a team-high five she accumulated, was the only score by the Thunder in the opening minutes of the second quarter as Stout chipped away. The Blue Devils would get to within two at 25-23 before Head Coach Andy Rang used a timeout, while led to a bucket by Erin Sherwood to keep Trine in front.
With just over three minutes left in the quarter, once again Wisconsin-Stout got to within two, but it was Sherwood once more that sparked an 11-3 run to close the half. Allison Capouch buried a couple of three-point field goals with the time winding down to propel the Thunder to a 43-33 lead at the break.
Trine was able to take advantage of early foul trouble for the Blue Devils' leading scorer and a dry spell from three by the opponents. Stout was just 1-of-13 (7.7%) from beyond the arc in the first half while the Thunder were 14-of-30 (46.7%) overall and 5-of-11 (45.5%) from three. Chelsi Giesige led the team with a +13 in more than 10 minutes of time on the floor.
The first eight points in the third quarter belonged to the Blue Devils as once more they made it a two-point game. This time, they were able to break through and get to a tie game at 48 all at the halfway point in the period. Stout would go on to win the quarter by a mark of 26-17, but a Capouch layup just before the buzzer put Trine in front 60-59.
The largest lead of the game for either side came at 6:48 in the fourth quarter following a 10-0 run to begin the final period. Capouch and Tiana Maat knocked down shots from deep to help balloon the Thunder lead to double figures at 70-59. Stout countered with seven in a row themselves, but Wagner had back-to-back baskets to extend the gap to eight at 74-66 with 3:44 to play.
A pair of free throws by Rhonehouse made the score 76-68 with 2:48 left on the clock, but down the stretch Trine would go cold from the field and could not get the key stop they needed defensively. With 41 seconds remaining, the Blue Devils were within one at 76-75 before the Thunder called for time to draw up a play to stay in front.
A blocked shot gave Wisconsin-Stout the basketball with eight seconds to go and a chance to take the lead. Coming out of a timeout, the Blue Devils would convert their opportunity with a made jumper from the baseline. Trine had three seconds to retake the lead, but a foul on Wagner gave the team the ball out of bounds underneath their own basket. After getting a solid look at the buzzer, the try was unsuccessful and Stout held on for the ranked win, 77-76.
Wagner led Trine with 21 points and she contributed with seven rebounds and five assists as well. Along with Wagner, four other Thunder student-athletes were double-digit scorers. Capouch scored 14 points, while Sherwood and Hinds each had 11 and Rhonehouse 10 points. Sherwood was the team's leader with nine rebounds, four on the offensive end of the floor.
After struggling to shoot the ball in the first half, the Blue Devils would end up at exactly 50.0% on the day (29-for-58) while Trine was at 41.0% (26-for-61). The Thunder outscored their opposition 22-11 off of turnovers, but lost the battle in the paint 40-28.
Trine hosts the 2023 Croxton & Roe Insurance Holiday Classic next week beginning on Tuesday, December 19. Calvin University and Asbury University start the day with their neutral site game at 5 p.m. followed by the Thunder taking on Geneva College at 7 p.m.
