Second-half run pushes Purdue-North Central past Trojans
Trinity International fought back-and-forth with the Panthers all night, but a late rally proves to be the clincher, as the Trojans fall 91-78.
Box Score DEERFIELD, Ill. -- With 13 lead changes throughout the game, the Trinity International Trojans battled toe-to-toe with the Purdue-North Central Panthers, but a run from PUC in the closing stages dropped the Trojans, 91-78 Monday night in the Meyer Sports Complex. James Glass led TIU with 19 points, as three Trojans finished in double-figures.
The Trojans (3-23, 1-14 CCAC) held an early lead when Glass knocked down a three-pointer to open play. Once TIU took a 7-4 lead on another Glass jumper, PNC answered with a 9-0 run capped off by a trey from Panther Nick Lafty, putting his team ahead 13-7 with 13:59 to play in the first half.
Trinity International tied the score at 13-13 in a little under two minutes, on a layup from freshman Blake Mann. The Panthers would score on the next possession, however, and maintain a narrow lead, until Glass tied the score again, with a free throw to make it 22-22 at the 8:35 mark.
Freshman Thomas Amrine would put the Trojans back on top 24-22, after stealing the pass and converting the fast-break layup. Both sides would trade the lead back and forth throughout the rest of the first half, with Purdue-North Central clinging to a one-point advantage following a Sean Smith layup in the closing seconds.
Andy Stauffer put TIU in front to start the second half, with a layup on the Trojans' first possession. A 9-2 run from the Panthers over the following 2:05 put PNC back ahead by a 47-41 margin, before the Trojans scored seven unanswered points of their own in just over a minute, sliding back in front 48-47 on a Justin Peeples fast-break layup started by Sam Salem's steal.
After Salem's three-pointer at the 10:41 mark tied the score at 60-60, the Panthers would go ahead for good, with three layups on their next three possessions. PNC would maintain a narrow lead, until a 9-0 run would blow the margin up to 12 points, when PNC's Shereff Knight connected on a layup with 4:26 to play, making it a 79-67 Panther advantage.
Along with Glass' 19 points, Stauffer collected 12 points, while Peeples pitched in with 11 points to finish in double figures.
Salem finished as the Trojans' leading rebounder, with seven boards to go along with his six points.
Trinity International will travel to Elgin, Ill. for a mid-week matchup at Judson, on Wednesday, February 12. Tipoff against the Eagles is set for 7:30 p.m.
