BANNOCKBURN, Ill. --- The 2021-22 TIU women's basketball season officially got underway late on Friday afternoon as the Trojans hosted the Pioneers of Campbellsville-Harrodsburg University on the opening day of the Trojan Basketball Classic. Looking to build off their late season success during last winter's shortened season, Trinity looked to get off on the right foot with a season-opening victory.

The Trojans dominated the game from start to finish, using their speed advantage to score on several fast break possessions. Trinity would also dominate in the paint, building an impressive 65-31 lead into the halftime break.

TIU would lead by as many as 47 points in the second half, continuing to attack from inside in the third and fourth periods. With solid control of the rebounding battle and excellent ball movement for good shots, the Trojans rolled past the Pioneers by a final score of 103-75 to pick up their first win of the season.

Taylor Hibicke led the way for Trinity with a game-high 26 points in the win, while Da'Naria Washington posted ten rebounds and four steals in her collegiate debut. Daniela Lopez dished out ten assists in the victory to go along with 14 points, as both Aniyjha Graves and Saskia Stegbauer scored 13 points in their first collegiate game.

ADDITIONAL GAME NOTES

• Friday's matchup with Campbellsville-Harrodsburg was the first all-time between the two programs.

• TIU's win over the Pioneers marks their third straight season opening win.

• Head coach Irvin Jerry is now 4-3 in season opening games since taking over the TIU program in 2017.

• Trinity's 103 points are the most they have scored in a game since their Dec. 20, 2012 win at Fisher (MA) by a score of 109-26. It is only the third time in the last 19 seasons that TIU has scored over 100 points in a game.

• TIU's 103 points against the Pioneers are the most scored in a season-opener since they scored 87 against Great Lakes Christian College on Oct. 25, 2019.

• Taylor Hibicke's 26 points in Trinity's win are the second most scored in a game in her career, falling one point shy of her career-best of 27 points, which she scored on Jan. 16, 2021 in a home win against Lincoln.

• Daniela Lopez set a new career-record for assists in a game with ten, breaking her previous high-water mark of seven from her freshman season last year.

• Louisa Schmidt's ten points are the second most scored in a game in her career. The Kelkheim, Germany native fell one point shy of tying her career-high of 11 points, set in a Jan. 13, 2021 game against Saint Xavier.
  
  
  
   

UP NEXT

The Trojans (1-0) will return to action on Saturday afternoon as they host the Crusaders of Madonna University in non-conference action. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00pm CT at Van Dixhorn Arena, with the game being streamed LIVE on the Trojan Sports Network.
 

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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.