ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University Women's Basketball team returned to action tonight with a resounding 73-44 victory over the Mount St. Joseph Lions. All-American Sidney Wagner led all scorers with 22 points and 12 Thunder players got in the scorebook. Trine is now 7-1 (2-0 MIAA) while MSJ falls to 6-4 (2-2 HCAC).
 
Trine scored the first seven points of the evening and would never trail the Lions as the Thunder dominated all facets of the game. Wagner scored first before dishing out one of her five assists to Sierra Hinds, who buried a triple. Katie Tate added the next basket as Trine took full control early. Jada Rhonehouse converted an and-one opportunity, and Addison Hutson made a pair of free throws off a steal from Olivia Marks.
 
The Lions trimmed the Thunder lead to two at the start of the second quarter, from there Trine would go on a 17-4 run, sparked by five points from Wagner. Rhonehouse and Tate assisted on those baskets, Erin Sherwood added three more points and Tate then added a bucket of her own. Trine set up their offensive success on the defensive end, grabbing three defensive rebounds and a pair of steals to limit MSJ to just five shots over the run. Wagner capped the scoring spree with another triple and a layup and the Thunder led by 15.
 
The teams swapped baskets for most of the third quarter, with Trine outscoring the visitors 14-12 in the frame. The Thunder again controlled the glass, pulling in 10 rebounds. Offensively, Rhonehouse added a triple and five others made baskets.
 
Trine held a comfortable advantage at the start of the fourth quarter, over the first four minutes the teams swapped scores and the margin remained 17. The Thunder then blew the game open, scoring the next 11 points with eight coming inside the paint. Jordan Walters and Madison Wagner added triples. Trine's rebounding again limited the Lions' scoring opportunities.
 
Trine out rebounded MSJ 40-26 and scored 44 points in the paint. The Thunder also held advantages in assists, steals, blocks, points off turnovers, second chance points, fast break points. The Thunder return to action tomorrow at 1 p.m. for a match up with Millikin. The Big Blue were an NCAA Tournament team a season ago.