DEERFIELD, Ill. - In front of a raucous crowd that included kids and families from Upward Basketball, No. 17 Trinity International led from start to finish in an 83-61 victory over the visiting Roosevelt Lakers on Saturday night inside Van Dixhorn Arena.

Box Score | Season Stats

Leading by just five at the halftime break, Trinity (22-4, 15-2 CCAC) led their opponents to just 28 points in the second half on 27.2% shooting to secure the team's fourth straight win.

"We started out playing really well defensively, but Roosevelt (11-14, 7-10 CCAC) made some plays and got us in foul trouble to get back into it," said TIU head coach Boomer Roberts. "I thought our guys did a great job learning from the first 20 minutes, and we were pretty special on defense in the second half."

The Trojans came out firing to start the game, taking a 13-0 lead at the 13:47 mark, as Jeremy Carlyle, Sean Smith, and Grant Corsi all hit three-pointers to fuel the run. Roosevelt would battle back, and after scoring the final six points of the half, including a buzzer-beater from half-court, Trinity would go into the locker room with a 38-33 advantage.

A key stretch came midway through the second half, when the Trojan defense held the Lakers without a field goal for nine minutes, allowing Trinity to go on a 23-4 run. TIU would hold a 64-45 lead after Roosevelt's field goal at the 6:29 mark, and would maintain a 20-point margin the rest of the way.

"When you hold a team to 31% shooting and force 22 turnovers, you're playing pretty well," added Roberts. "We were able to get out in transition and share the ball offensively, which is when our guys are at their best."

Senior forward Zach Kirschbaum earned his NAIA-leading 19th double-double, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Four Trojans in all recorded double figures, with Carlyle's 16 points leading the team. Luke Mead collected 13 points off the bench, while Corsi posted 11.

With the victory, Trinity earns their 22nd win of the season, tying the 1994-95 squad for the most wins in a single season in the program's history.

The 17th-ranked Trojans now set their sights on a mid-week road trip, when they take on the St. Ambrose Bees on Wednesday, February 8, beginning at 7:30 p.m.