BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- The home team had two chances in the closing seconds to either grab the win, or at least send the game into overtime, but neither shot would go down, as the Trinity International Trojans earn a big road victory in CCAC play, with an 81-78 win over the Olivet Nazarene Tigers on Wednesday night. The victory extends the Trojans' current win streak to seven straight, the longest current win streak in the CCAC, and turns what was an 0-4 start in conference play into a 5-5 mark midway through the league schedule.

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The Trojans (9-10, 5-5 CCAC) started off slowly, spotting the Tigers a 9-0 start in the first two and a half minutes of play. Olivet Nazarene (14-7, 8-2 CCAC) took their biggest lead of the day just a minute later, when ONU's Austin Davis connected on one of his seven field goals on the day. TIU battled back, highlighted by four straight three-pointers from Thomas Amrine to make it a 24-21 ONU edge with 9:37 to play in the first half.

Trinity International claimed their first lead of the day on a Sam Salem trey, at the 6:43 mark of the first half, giving the Trojans a 31-30 advantage. Both sides would trade the lead three times in the first half, but TIU would move in front on another set of back-to-back threes from Amrine, followed by another trey from Dillon Wadsack at the 1:44 mark. After a pair of Tiger free throws to close out the half, the Trojans would go into the locker room with a 45-41 lead.

As close as the end of the first half was, the second half was even tighter, with ten lead changes over the twenty minutes of action. Neither side would take more than a six point lead in the second half, as momentum swung back and forth. A 9-2 run for the Trojans down the stretch - highlighted by a David Chatman alley-oop dunk and yet another Amrine three-pointer - gave Trinity a 79-73 lead with 3:36 to play.

Olivet Nazarene would quickly cut the TIU lead to one, with a Zach Wagner layup, and a three-pointer from Davis at the 1:15 mark. Chatman would hit one of two free throws, giving ONU the chance to tie the game or move ahead with a three. A defensive stop gave the Trojans the ball back with their lead intact, but two missed free throws after the intentional foul gave the Tigers another shot with 18 seconds to play.

Another missed three-pointer, and defensive rebound by Chatman gave TIU the chance to put the game away at the free throw line. Sam Salem would hit one of two, making it a three-point game with eight seconds to play. Davis' attempt to tie the game in the closing seconds would be off the mark, securing the first win for the Trojans over Olivet Nazarene in over 12 years.

"Tonight was a huge step for our program," said TIU head coach Boomer Roberts after the game. "Beating a team with the talent, tradition, and coaching of Olivet is difficult to do, especially on the road. We started out slow, but grinded our way back in it. We shot the ball really well from three - Thomas and Sam made 12 between them - and Nate Ball really battled in the paint. We focused on the glass and outrebounded the number one rebounding team in the conference."

Amrine finished with 24 points and eight rebounds, both game highs, as well as a career-high eight made three-pointers in the win. Salem collected 19 points, going 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Nate Ball posted 12 points, with a 5-for-9 performance to go with six rebounds. As a team, the Trojans out-rebounded the CCAC leaders in rebounding margin, 38-34.

"I'm really thankful to be a part of this group of men," Roberts said. "We're really feeling the blessings of the Lord."

The Trojans wrap up their two-game road swing with a visit to Purdue-North Central in LaPorte, Ind. this Saturday, January 24. Tipoff against the Panthers is set for 7:00 p.m. Central.