ANGOLA, Ind. – Trine trailed by as many as 12 points in the second half of Saturday's game against the Wabash College Little Giants. It wasn't enough as Fred Garland and Nate Tucker combined for 45 points and ignited the comeback early in the second half and Trine posted a 78-68 victory. Trine is now 2-0 while Wabash falls to 0-2.
 
The game was the second game of a double header on the final day of the Steve Green Classic. Mary Hardin-Baylor also used a second half comeback and took down Heidelberg 79-75 in the first game. Both the Cru and the Student Princes are 1-1.
 
Trine opened up a 16-8 lead early in the first half but four consecutive three pointers sent Wabash on a 14-2 run that would give them the lead. Garland quickly responded with a triple, then Tucker found Drew Moore for another. Tucker hit a bucket of his own and Garland found his way to the free throw line after a driving layup to reclaim the lead, 29-24. Wabash would take a 40-36 edge into the break.
 
The second half opened with Trine struggling to mount a comeback, missing three consecutive shots to open the stanza. The Thunder found their way to the free throw line as they began to chip away at the Little Giants lead. Jayce Cusack got three points the hard way, while Tucker, Garland, and Moore each knocked down a pair to cut the lead to four. Tucker hit three more shots from the charity stripe and Garland made a layup and the Thunder found themselves in the lead 59-57 with 7:42 remaining. Wabash was able to stay within striking distance.
 
The momentum switched as the clock rolled under five minutes to play. Up 62-60, Garland drove the lane for a layup, his shot missed, but Aidan Smylie was there to collect the rebound. Falling out of bounds, he slung a pass to the corner to a wide open Moore who buried a corner three over a leaping Little Giant. The next trip down the floor was nearly identical, Emmanuel Megnanglo missed a jumper, but Smylie was again there to collect the rebound. Smylie sent the ball back out to Megnanglo who had made his way behind the three point line, he collected the ball, shrugged his shoulders, and splashed a triple and sent the crowd into a frenzy. Trine led 68-61. Trine pulled out to a 77-65 advantage and took the victory. Smylie had 10 rebounds and Megnanglo blocked four shots.
 
Trine opens the road portion of their schedule on Friday, November 15^th at Baldwin Wallace.