BANNOCKBURN, Ill. --- The Trinity International University women's basketball team took on the 20th-ranked Tigers of Olivet Nazarene on Wednesday night in their first Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) game of the new year. Coming off huge win last week over Lincoln Christian, TIU looked to pick up their 11th win of the season as league play resumed.

The Trojans kept their opponent well in check during the first period, limiting them to just 15 points on 23% shooting. ONU employed a defensive tactic of multiple full lineup rotations to keep up a pressing defense. TIU was able to score 16 in the opening frame in the face of the Tiger defense.

While the Trojans were able to stay within a ten-point range of the Tigers in the second quarter, ONU was able to take control of the offensive boards, opening up multiple second chance scoring opportunities. Held to just 18 points in the second, TIU went into the halftime break trailing by seven.

ONU found their shot in the third and took solid control of the game, backed by a trio of three-point shots. Held to just 16 total rebounds in the second half, the Trojans struggled to crawl out of the late game deficit, despite a late push led by Alina Jahnke, Carly Scheblo, and Taylor Hibicke. TIU would drop their first game of the new year by a score of 96-73 to the Tigers.

Jahnke led the way for the Trojans with a team-high 16 points, along with four rebounds and two assists. Scheblo recorded 15 points in the loss, while Hibicke notched 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Breleigh Gula led TIU bench players with 11 points and five boards.

TIU returns home on Saturday, January 11 as they host the Governors State Jaguars in their next CCAC matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00PM at Van Dixhorn Arena.

Trinity International University is a comprehensive, national university affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and located in Bannockburn, Illinois, 25 miles north of Chicago. TIU educates men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness and lifelong learning.