KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Jayden Bradshaw scored 24 points and added six rebounds and five assists to lead the Trine University men's basketball team to 96-70 win over Kalamazoo College on Wednesday night. The Thunder move to 18-6 (10-3 MIAA) with the win and have wrapped up either the 2 or 3 seed in next week's MIAA Tournament. Kalamazoo falls to 3-21 (0-13 MIAA).
 
Nate Tucker added 18 points and eight rebounds and Cade Brenner pitched in double figures with 13 points. The Thunder knocked down 16 three pointers in the win, tying their season high.
 
Trine used a 46-26 second half advantage on the scoreboard to pull away to the convincing win but the first half was not as dominant. Trine fell behind 14-6 in the early stages with the Hornets making six of their first seven shots. Bradshaw and Tucker fired back with three pointers to get things going the Thunder's way. Kalamazoo held tough, searching for their first MIAA win of the year. Brenner and Elisha Jones nailed long balls and Bradshaw scored seven more to give Trine its first lead.
 
The threes started to fall for the Thunder, who pulled away to a 10-point lead on another triple from Jones. Danny Flood and Elias Lewis added one each. Trine took a 50-44 lead to the half.
 
Offense was the name of the game in the first half, but the Thunder defense was the tale of the second half. The Hornets shot 50% from the floor in the first frame but just 30% in the second and a measly 20% from range. Trine out rebounded the Hornets 44-30.
 
The lead grew to 10 in the early portion with a Brenner triple and some tough shots forced by the Trine defense. Trine kept the pedal down, turning a 63-53 lead to a commanding 22-point advantage just past halfway. Logan McKenzie scored twice inside, Lewis knocked in another longball, and Bradshaw made it 75-53 with one of his own.
 
Trine kept the Hornets swarmed defensively, grabbing five defensive rebounds over the run. The offense showed versatility, scoring the next six inside the paint before Jones added a third longball. Trine never allowed Kalamazoo to make a run and cruised to the 26-point victory.

Trine hosts The University of Olivet on Saturday at 3 p.m. for Senior Day. Trine would force a three way tie for the  MIAA Regular Season Championship with a win over the Comets and a Hope loss to Calvin. Olivet can win the conference outright with a win and a Hope loss. For Hope, a win over Calvin and a Trine win would give the Dutch the outright title.