ALMA, Mich. – The Trine University men's basketball team posted a 62-56 win over Alma College, avenging their loss at home earlier this season. The success marks the fourth consecutive Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) victory in a row for the men's basketball team.
The Thunder (14-7, 7-3 MIAA) were led by senior guard Aiden Warzecha [Milford, Mich. / Milford], who recorded his first career double-double against the Scots (2-16, 1-8 MIAA), with 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
Warzecha recorded the first score of the game more than two minutes in with a made jump shot and Emmanuel Megnanglo [Cotonou, Benin / Amelia Academy] followed that up with one of his own to go up 4-0.
After losing the slight advantage, Nick Bowman [Angola, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern] turned a steal into two points via the fastbreak dunk. From there, the lead changed hands four times and Brent Cox [Kendallville, Ind. / East Noble] put his name is the scorer's sheet as well with a pair of makes.
Megnanglo made a lay-up to give Trine their largest lead of the half at 23-15 with just over five minutes remaining in the first. Nine straight points from Alma would give the home team the lead 24-23. Bryce Williams [Archbold, Ohio / Archbold] knocked down a pair of three's and scored the final eight Thunder points of a 33-31 first half in favor of Trine.
Williams carried his scoring stretch into the second half as well with a made shot from long range to begin that period. Alma battled their way back into it and tied the game at 41 with 15 minutes left. Following a Thunder timeout, Warzecha made a shot inside to reclaim the lead.
Connor Jones [Danville, Ind. / Danville] took advantage of one of the 28 Scot turnovers on the day for an easy score with 11 minutes to go, but Alma's resiliency was uncanny. Trine had lost the lead 48-46, but Warzecha found Megnanglo for a dunk with eight minutes left to tie the game.
Later in the half with the score tied at 52, the Thunder netted six straight to go up 58-52 with under four minutes to play. Alma made back-to-back layups to get within two, but that would be as close as the Scots get as Bowman and Megnanglo knocked down a combined four free throws late to get the team to the 62-56 final.
The Scots outrebounded the Thunder 38-30, but 29 points off of 28 turnovers helped Trine to get easy baskets on the offensive end. Williams led the team in scoring with 14 points and Bowman chipped in with 12. Megnanglo had 11 points and four blocks off the bench.
Men's basketball has an opportunity to even another MIAA series in their next game when Hope College comes to MTI Center. That one is on Wednesday, February 9 at 7:30 pm.