KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Trine University men's basketball team won their opening game in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) season 86-65 over Kalamazoo College on Thursday night. The #12 Thunder move to 11-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play while the Hornets fall to 6-6 and 0-1.

Trine shot an even 50.0% (33-for-66) from the field and the same from three at 7-for-14. The Thunder dominated the glass to the tune of 45-30 and doubled their opponents in the paint, 40-20. Kalamazoo was held to 35.7% (20-for-56) from the field and 33.3% (9-for-27) from beyond the arc.

All five starters entered the scorebook in the first three minutes of play with three-point field goals by Cortez Garland and Brent Cox to go up 12-6. The Hornets responded with a pair of makes from behind the three-point line themselves to draw back to even.

A 13-4 run for the visiting team gave Trine control of the game early at 25-16. Emmanuel Megnanglo, Drew Moore and Nate Tucker each converted shots from long range during the run. Three-point shooting by the Hornets kept the game within single digits, until a run at the end of the first half by the Thunder. Over the final five minutes of the period, Trine outscored Kalamazoo 10-5 to take a 44-31 lead into the break.

Fred Garland found Aidan Smylie down low for the first basket of the second half and that would propel the Thunder to put together another strong half on the offensive end. The first seven made field goals of the second came in the paint for Trine, including a pair of field goals by Cox, but the Hornets inched closer at 60-51 with 12 minutes to go.

An and-one by Cox coming out of a timeout at 8:12 left on the clock spelled the beginning of the end for Kalamazoo. That score gave the Thunder a 14-point lead at 69-55 and sparked a 20-4 scoring run that put the lead up to 27. Tucker netted a jump shot with just over two minutes to play that wrapped up a 13-0 spurt. The final six points belonged to the Hornets in the 86-65 victory.

A season-high 20 points from Cox led the charge for the team. He was 7-for-9 from the field and converted all five of his free throw attempts. Just behind in scoring was Moore with a season-high 18 points, his fourth consecutive game in double figures. Tucker (13 points) and Smylie (12 points) were also in double figures.

Up next for Trine is a home game versus The University of Olivet on Saturday, January 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.