CHICAGO, Ill. --- The Trinity International University women's basketball team battled the Roosevelt University Lakers on Saturday afternoon at the Goodman Center in downtown Chicago in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) action. After winning their first meeting with the Lakers back in November, the Trojans looked to complete the season sweep and move to six games above .500 on the year.
In last November's meeting, TIU and Roosevelt went back-and-forth in a defensive battle that resulted in a narrow 45-41 win for the Trojans. The first half would be the opposite of that game as both teams shot the ball more frequently from their last game against one another. Taylor Hibicke opened the first quarter up shooting five-for-eight from the floor, scoring 11 of TIU's 20 first period points as the Trojans held a narrow three point lead.
In the second quarter, the Lakers unleashed a barrage of three-point attempts, which often kept the TIU offense on edge. Taking high-quality shots and finding success from beyond the arc with Kassandra Ybarra, and from midrange with Alina Jahkne, TIU built a comfortable lead. But struggling to hold onto the ball throughout the first half and giving up too many baskets from downtown, the Trojans saw their lead disappear as Roosevelt's JayShari Chears gave the Lakers a two-point lead heading into halftime with a three-point shot at the buzzer.
The TIU offense re-awoke in the third quarter as they quickly jumped back ahead and proceeded to outscore the Lakers 25-17. Under pressing defense, the Trojans were able to sink several tightly contested shots in the offensive reboot. Off the bench, Kelsey Kelley provided a spark on the floor from distance as the defense began to force into tougher shots and turnovers.
In the fourth, the Trojans continued their push as they began to draw fouls inside the paint. Pushing through Carly Scheblo and Jahkne, TIU was able to turn several made baskets into three-point play opportunities at the free throw line. In the final minutes, the Lakers found their shot to cut the Trojan lead to just one point with 31.7 seconds to go. Thankfully, TIU was able to run the clock out to prevent a Laker comeback and secure the 78-77 win. The victory improves the Trojan's record to 16-10 overall, and 10-8 in CCAC play, putting them in seventh place in the league standings with four games to go in the regular season. The win also is the team's sixth of the year in games decided by ten points or fewer.
Hibicke led the Trojans in the win with a team-high 21 points, while Jahkne recorded a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Scheblo recorded 12 points in the victory, while Ybarra notched 11.
TIU returns to action on Wednesday, February 12 at home as they welcome the eight-ranked Cougars of St. Xavier University to Van Dixhorn Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30PM.
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.
