TIU Men's Basketball suffer non-conference loss at Benedictine-Springfield
Greg Gorham
Box Score Box Score | Season Stats
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Junior Nate Ball posted a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds, but Trinity International was held to just four points over the last three minutes, as the Trojans fell 102-89 to the Benedictine-Springfield Bulldogs, in a non-conference road game Saturday night.
Ball collected his sixth double-double of the season, as six Trojans in all scored double-figures. Freshman Sean Smith picked up a career-high 16 points, on shooting 7-of-10 from the field. Thomas Amrine, making his third start of the year, knocked down four of TIU's five total three-pointers, and finished with 13 points. Sam Salem scored 12 points, while freshman Andy Stauffer collected ten, and Justin Peeples contributed ten points off the bench.
Benedictine-Springfield (4-3) held a lead throughout most of the first half, stretching out to an eight-point advantage when the Bulldogs' Jordan Michels knocked down a jumper at the 14:51 mark of the first half. The Trojans (2-8) slowly chipped away at the Bulldog lead, eventually getting out in front with just 22 seconds until halftime, when Amrine hit the trey to put his team ahead 47-45 at the break.
Trinity International took command at the start of the second half, as Salem knocked down a three-pointer to open play, giving TIU a 50-45 advantage early in the second half. The score kick-started an 11-4 run that put the Trojans in front 58-49 after a free throw from Ball at the 17:17 mark, to complete the three-point play.
The Trojans stretched their lead to as much as 13 points in the second half, when Salem scored on the putback with 12:55 in the second half, giving TIU a 70-57 advantage. The Bulldogs answered with a 9-0 over the next two minutes to climb back into the game, 70-66. Following Smith's field goal inside the nine-minute mark that stretched the Trojan lead to 78-72, Benedictine-Springfield went on another run, scoring 14 unanswered to reclaim the lead, 86-78 with 5:59 to play. The Trojan offense was held to just three more points the rest of the way, as the Bulldogs closed out a 102-89 decision.
Trinity International will resume CCAC play on Tuesday, when they close out their 10-game road trip by paying a visit to St. Xavier. Tipoff against the Cougars is set for 7:30 p.m.
