BANNOCKBURN, Ill. --- The TIU men's basketball team returned to Van Dixhorn Arena on Wednesday night as they hosted the Trinity Christian Trolls in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) action. Coming off an 11-point loss at Saint Ambrose last Saturday, the Trojans looked to rebound and pick up their second win in league play.

TIU's offense struggled out of the gate as the Trolls jumped out to an early 13-3 lead. Despite limited depth on the Trojan bench, TIU responded with a three headed attack, employing Brandon McQueen, Diamond Presniakovas and Jameir Jefferson as their primary weapons inside. After trailing by as many 13 midway through the first half, the Trojans responded with a 9-0 run, with back-to-back threes by McQueen and Johnathan Johannson giving TIU their first lead of the night at 31-29. At the halftime break, the Trojans would extend their lead to 38-35.

In the second half, McQueen and Presniakovas turned on the jets, and dominated from the floor, with several of their heavily contested shots falling through the nets. TIU would never relinquish control of the lead again as the baskets continued to fall, and the Trolls found themselves in foul trouble, giving the Trojans more opportunities to extend their lead. McQueen and Presniakovas combined for 34 of TIU's 57 second half points as the Trojan offense rolled to a 95-83 victory over TCC.

McQueen led the night with a game-high 29 points, plus eight rebounds and six assists. Presniakovas recorded 23 points in the win, while Jamier Jefferson notched 16 points, ten coming from the free throw line. Johnansson sank a pair of three-point baskets for ten points.
 

ADDITIONAL GAME NOTES

• In the 25th all-time meeting in the series, TIU picked up their eighth win over the Trolls. TCC still leads the all-time series 16-8.

• Trinity International is now 2-2 this season coming off a loss.

• Brandon McQueen's 29 point performance set a new career-high in scoring. His previous high water mark was 27 against Asbury (Kent.) on Dec. 8, 2018, while playing his sophomore season at Cincinnati Christian.

• McQueen's eight rebounds in the win tied his career-high.

• Diamond Presniakovas' 23 points against TCC tied his season-high, which he set 11 days earlier in a win over Maranatha Baptist.

• Presniakovas also set new career records tonight in field goals made (10), field goals attempted (15), three-point field goals made (2) and three-point field goals attempted (4).
   

UP NEXT

The Trojans (5-4) will return to action on Saturday afternoon, January 30 as they visit the Maranatha Baptist Sabercats in Watertown, Wisconsin for the second time this season. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00pm CT and can be watched LIVE on the MBU Sabercats Live Stream.

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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.