DEERFIELD, Ill. - Knocking down a total of 18 three-pointers, a hot-shooting Trinity International squad out-paced the visiting Clarke (Iowa) Crusaders Wednesday night, taking a 96-83 victory in the Trojans home opener at Van Dixhorn Arena.

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The 18 threes were the most by the Trojans (2-1) in any single game since the 2009-10 season, and the third-most by any team in the NAIA this year. Five players finished in double figures, led by sophomore Greg Carlyle's 17 points and 5-for-7 performance beyond the arc.

Clarke (0-1) took an early lead as the Trojans were kept off the scoreboard through the first three and a half minutes, until senior Sean Smith hit three consecutive treys on back-to-back-to-back possessions, giving Trinity a 9-5 edge at the 15:23 mark. The Crusaders would quickly tie the game but a 13-1 run for Trinity put the home team in front 22-10 midway through the first half, a lead they would hold the rest of the night.

"I'm really proud of our team for their effort tonight," said TIU head coach Boomer Roberts after the game. "We beat a well-coached team that is going to win a lot of games this year. Sean lit a fuse for us, the gym was rocking after that, and we fed off that energy."

Two straight three-pointers from Jeremy Carlyle in the final minute of the first half would give the Trojans their largest lead before the break, at 48-32; a pair of free throws for Clarke would close the gap at halftime, to 48-34. Smith and Grant Corsi would lead the team with nine first-half points apiece.

The visitors would pull to within eight points after Clarke's Avery Butler knocked down a three at the 13:51 mark to make it a 57-49 game. Trinity would double their lead in just 90 seconds however, when Greg Carlyle's three capped a quick 8-0 run. The Trojans would then maintain a double-digit advantage throughout most of the final 11 minutes to secure their second win of the early season.

Senior forward Zach Kirschbaum recorded his third double-double in as many games this season, finishing with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Corsi finished with 13 points, while senior Luke Mead pitched in with 12 points off the bench.

"I thought Grant's rebounding and two charges were great, and the twins made some huge plays every time Clarke got close," added Roberts. "We had a huge three-minute stretch with Luke, two freshmen, and two sophomores on the floor late. Not only did they hold their own, they extended the lead. It was just an overall great team effort tonight, and a great crowd. We're very thankful for the fans who showed up tonight."

Trinity hits the road for their next game, Saturday afternoon at Emmaus Bible (Iowa). Tipoff from Davenport is set for November 5th at 3:00 p.m.