BANNOCKBURN, Ill. --- After finish with a 10-10 regular season record and 5-7 mark in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) play, the TIU women's basketball team opened up play in the 2021 CCAC Tournament on Wednesday night at Van Dixhorn Arena as they battled the Lincoln College Lynx in the opening round. Due to scheduling complications created by COVID-19, all CCAC teams qualified for this year's tournament.

Much like their January 16 regular season match-up, both teams battled back-and-forth attempting to force their opponent into turnover situations. Brittany Gafare got things started for the Trojan offense early with six first quarter points before Lincoln held the Trojans to under 20% shooting in the second quarter. The Lynx ability to rebound on offense and extend their possessions helped tie the game at 31 a piece heading into the halftime break.

Taylor Hibicke flipped the switch for Trinity in the second half with a dominating performance with 16 points in the final 20 minutes. Fouls quickly mounted up for Lincoln, sending TIU to the free throw line for 17 attempts in the second half. Alina Jahnke also came alive in the fourth quarter and down the stretch, scoring 15 of Trinity's 22 points with four blocks. TIU's pressing defense held Lincoln to 30% shooting and only two made three-point shots, enough to advance in the tournament field with a 79-65 win.

Hibicke led the Trojans with 25 points and nine rebounds in the win, while Jahnke recorded a 21 point, 11 rebound double-double with six total blocks. Gafare ended the night with 18 points and eight boards, while Daniela Lopez dished out a game-high five assists.

 

ADDITIONAL GAME NOTES

• With Tuesday's win over Lincoln, TIU tied the all-time series at one game a piece.

• Tuesday's game was the first postseason game held at Van Dixhorn Arena since the 2012 CCAC Tournament quarterfinals.

• TIU's conference tournament win marks the first postseason victory at any level since the Trojans defeated IU-South Bend in the quarterfinals of the 2013 CCAC Tournament.

• Trinity capitalized off of 16 Lynx turnovers, outscoring Lincoln 20-13 off giveaways.

• Taylor Hibicke shot 8-11 from the floor in the win, for 72.7%.

• Alina Jahnke's 25 point, 11 rebound double-double was her eighth of the season.

• Jahnke's 25 point effort set a new career-high for scoring.

• Jahnke's 11 rebounds moved her into fifth place all-time on the program's career rebounding list with 512.

• Hibicke's three steals put her in a tie for ninth with Stephanie Whelan for most steals in a single-season in program history (79).

• Breleigh Gula set new career-highs with eight total rebounds, and seven defensive rebounds.

UP NEXT

With the victory, the seventh-seeded Trojans advance to the quarterfinals of the CCAC Tournament, where they will face the second-seeded St. Francis Fighting Saints in Joliet on Thursday, February 25. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00pm at USF's Sullivan Center and can be watched LIVE on USF SportNet.

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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.