ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University women's basketball team concluded the Croxton & Roe Insurance Holiday Classic with the fourth game of the event versus Asbury University. The 17th-ranked Thunder were able to hold off a pesky Eagles squad 61-44 at game's end. Trine is now 8-2 overall while the Eagles are an even .500 at 7-7.
It was sloppy play from both sides in the first quarter as it was nearly four minutes before either side made a field goal, that being an Allison Capouch three. Turnovers were bountiful for the home Thunder with 13 in total in the period leading to eight points on the other end for the Eagles. Asbury claimed a 14-10 lead after the first quarter despite poor shooting.
Sierra Hinds buried a three-point field goal to open the second period that sparked a 12-2 scoring run for Trine. The defense had settled in and caused havoc of their own to lead the Thunder to a 22-16 advantage. It was 9:05 remaining to 2:35 in the quarter between points for Asbury, but a strong close to the quarter would cut the Trine lead down to just 25-23 at halftime. Sidney Wagner (six points, five rebounds) and Jada Rhonehouse (four points, five rebounds) led the way.
The defense remained stingy in the third quarter as the team's combined for five made field goals on 34 attempts. The Thunder held their opponents to just six points and took a 36-29 lead into the final 10 minutes of play. A Capouch triple was the only make until Wagner sunk a pair of free throws with three minutes and change to go. Erin Sherwood scored the final six points of the quarter.
An and-one by Rhonehouse provided the spark for a 25-point outburst to seal the deal in the fourth. The first 10 points of the frame belonged to Trine, with Abby Sanner and Hinds adding a make each. A steal-and-score by Allie Walther helped extend the lead to a seemingly insurmountable double figures the way the teams were scoring at 54-42 with 3:38 remaining. Work on the offensive glass by Wagner provided the extra opportunities needed to put away the contest 61-44.
Two student-athletes recorded double-doubles with Wagner's team-high 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds along with Rhonehouse's first career 10-rebound game to go with her 10 points. Hinds' three makes from deep helped her eclipse the 10-point mark as well. In her first career start, Capouch recorded a statline of nine points and seven rebounds.
The Thunder held the Eagles to just 25.4% (18-of-71) from the field, but had to overcome 30 turnovers. The biggest key in the second half was the rebounding advantage. Trine pulled down 61 rebounds to just 35 by Asbury. 16 offensive rebounds led to a 22-4 edge in second chance points. 61 rebounds is the third-most in a game in program history.
After Christmas, the Thunder return to action in the Jim Meagle Holiday Classic at Marietta College beginning on Friday, December 29. Trine faces Carnegie Mellon University at 4:15 p.m.
