ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University men's basketball team suffered their first loss in MTI Center since February 12, 2020 on Wednesday night with a 72-67 defeat at the hands of Heidelberg University.
The Student Princes (7-1), who were receiving votes in the latest D3hoops.com national poll, used a 14-point second half edge to clip the #16 Thunder (5-2) in non-conference action.
Nick Bowman [Angola, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern] was the high scorer with 26 points, including 10-for-12 from the charity stripe and Mitchell Geller [Huntington, Ind. / Huntington North] recorded double digit scoring for the second consecutive game with 12 points and pulled down a team-high six rebounds.
Trine held their opponents scoreless over the first three minutes and netted the first six points of the game, four coming from Geller. Off the bench, Mason Loeffler [Swanton, Ohio / Evergreen] scored four quick points with a pair of lay-ups to make it 15-9 eight minutes in.
Heidelberg came out of a timeout with a three-point field goal and it was answered in the same minute with a three by Hayden Jones [Kendallville, Ind. / East Noble] in transition from a block by Bowman.
The Student Princes were able to tie the game at 20 with seven minutes remaining in the first, but an and-one by Bryce Williams [Archbold, Ohio / Archbold] on the following possession prevented Heidelberg from taking their first lead of the night. Aiden Warzecha [Milford, Mich. / Milford] and Bowman each scored to go on Trine's biggest scoring run of the game (7).
Bowman hit a pair of free throws with just under two minutes to go in the first period that gave the Thunder their largest lead at 37-24. The teams went into the locker room at 37-28.
The Student Princes were able to make second half adjustments to get back in to the game. Heidelberg intensified their perimeter defense, but Trine countered by going to Geller inside for two lay-ups in the early goings.
Heidelberg got the deficit down to four, but a Bowman lay-up, followed by a steal-and-dunk doubled the lead to 45-37 with 15 minutes left. A Bowman score less than one minute later got the lead back to double figures.
An 11-2 run by the Student Princes midway through the period was ley to a comeback and a shot from beyond the arc gave Heidelberg their first lead of the game with 11:24 left.
The lead changed hands four times in less than a minute, but the Student Princes came out of the slugfest with the advantage as the clock ticked down to four minutes. Following a Thunder timeout, the home squad scored six straight to reclaim the lead, 65-64.
Heidelberg scored on an offensive rebound at the one-minute mark to take a 68-67 advantage and a defensive stand forced Trine into a shot clock violation on the next possession. The Thunder pressed full court, but the Student Princes found a man behind the defense for an easy dunk. Free throws with seven seconds left sealed the game for the visitors.
Trine has a tough challenge ahead in the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on Saturday, December 11. The number 13 team in NCAA DIII comes to MTI Center for a 1 pm tip-off this weekend. That game will be a part of Community Day, with free entry for both the men's and women's games at 1 pm and 3 pm.
