HOLLAND, Mich. – The #7 Trine University Men's Basketball team fell in MIAA play tonight to the Hope Flying Dutch 79-71 inside DeVos Fieldhouse. Four Thunder scored in double figures but it was not enough to rally Trine from a 17-point second half deficit. Trine falls to 17-3 (7-2 MIAA) while Hope is now a level 10-10 (5-4 MIAA).
Nate Tucker led the Thunder with 14 points and
Cam Smith,
Aidan Smylie, and
Jayce Cusack added 12, 10, and 10. The game was tight early on and featured 11 total lead changes. Cusack got things started for the Thunder inside, Trine was able to work the ball down low early scoring 8 of their first 12 from the paint. The Thunder took their biggest lead of the night inside seven minutes to play in the first half with a Cusack lay in, Trine led 25-18. Hope quickly erased the Thunder advantage with a triple and a pair of dunks. Cusack beat the buzzer to bring Trine within three at the break, he scored all 10 of his points in the first half.
Trine kept it close early on in the second half, taking a 44-43 lead with a layup from Tucker. A 15-0 run from the Dutch over a three and a half minute stretch put the Thunder in a desperate position. Trine tried to chip away but a timely three and some good free throw shooting from the hosts kept the Thunder at bay. Trine began a 10-1 run with just under two minutes to play but it was too little, too late.
Logan Gard scored six and
Max Greenamoyer knocked in a triple as the Thunder trimmed the final deficit to 79-71.
Trine hits the road on Saturday for a trip to Alma for a 3:00 p.m. start time.