ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University men's basketball team exploded for 56 second half points to down the #15 Calvin University Knights on Bacon Night inside the MTI Center. Four Thunder scored in double figures and Trine (12-4, 4-1 MIAA) forced the Knights (12-4, 4-1 MIAA) into a season-high 21 turnovers to take the win.
 
Jayden Bradshaw scored 13 of his 17 points from the free throw line as the senior drew 10 fouls on the night, he has now drawn 19 fouls in his last two outings. Logan McKenzie buried his first career three pointer as he also scored 17 points. Nate Tucker and Cade Brenner finished with 15 points. McKenzie and Brenner each posted a team high seven rebounds.
 
The Thunder struggled to score in the first half, shooting a pedestrian 35.5% from the floor as the Knights forced Trine into lots of midrange shots. The Thunder did manage a perfect 9-of-9 effort from the free throw line. Brenner scored a layup with 12:18 left to cut the Calvin lead to 11-10, Trine would go the next seven minutes of game time without a field goal as the Knights built a 20-12 lead. McKenzie broke the ice for Trine with a layup to cut the deficit to six.
 
The basket started a 9-2 run that pulled Trine within one with 3:39 remaining. Tucker found Elisha Jones for a tough paint basket and then made a pair of free throws with 1:42 left to tie the game at 25. Brenner gave Trine the lead with a jumper and on the next possession stole a Calvin pass and found Tucker who hit the Thunder's lone triple of the first half. The Thunder took a 32-28 lead into halftime.
 
Calvin's All-American big man Jalen Overway scored four of the Knights first six and gave the guests a two point lead with a pair of free throws. Overway was limited to 15 points and nine rebounds, both well under his season averages, behind a strong defensive effort from McKenzie and Paxton Crane. Trine quickly turned the deficit into a three-point lead when Bradshaw made all three of his free throws after he was fouled on an attempt from deep. Bradshaw then found Tucker on the next possession for a two and a lead that Trine would not surrender.
 
Trine would make their next eight field goals and eight of nine free throws to methodically build a 13-point lead over the next eight minutes of game time. Elias Lewis broke through on a three-point attempt, Drew Panning got a runner in the lane to fall through a foul. Calvin cut the lead to six but a pair of jumpers from Lewis stretched it to 10, the second a silky-smooth baseline fadeaway. McKenzie found himself open at the top of the key on the next possession, a few times prior to he had passed on the open triple, this time he buried it sending a raucous, bacon filled student section to hog heaven.

Trine kept the pedal down by finding ways to the free throw line, Bradshaw earned another trip and converted the pair, then Paxton Crane made both of his shots on the next possession. The freshman scored four points and grabbed three rebounds in 12 minutes of action and played excellent defense on the Knight's Overway in what was the toughest defensive draw of his young career.
 
The Knights had some answers for Trine's second half shooting performance but an 18-of-25 (72%) effort from the floor ensure the Thunder's lead was safe from a comeback attempt. Bradshaw made five of six free throws to stretch the Trine lead to 66-52 only for it to grow larger as Brenner drilled a triple. Calvin made a final charge inside four minutes remaining to pull within ten. Brenner stymied the attempt with a second three that effectively iced the game. Trine did not miss a shot over the final four minutes to seal the 88-68 victory.
 
This is the Thunder's first win over a ranked opponent since they toppled #1 Hampden-Sydney in the 2024 National Championship Game. Trine heads to The University of Olivet for a 3:00 p.m. tipoff on Saturday.