CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — Wabash College matched Trine University punch for punch through the opening 20 minutes before a decisive second-half surge swung momentum, as the Little Giants fell 63-54 in a non-conference men's basketball contest Saturday afternoon at Chadwick Court.
The game opened with steady back-and-forth play. Wabash (8-4) scored first on a
Josh Whack drive and quickly answered Trine baskets with perimeter shooting, including an early three-pointer by
Rich Brooks and another from
Luke Ellspermann to keep the score tight. After Trine (8-3) used a short 6-2 spurt midway through the half to edge in front, Wabash countered behind interior finishes from
Gavin Schippert and
Nate Matelic.
The Little Giants seized momentum late in the half with a 7-2 run over the final four minutes. Matelic converted a pair of free throws to tie the game before
Colton Stowers knocked down a three-pointer to give Wabash its largest lead of the half at 24-20. Trine answered with a late three, but Wabash closed the half on top when the defense forced a stop and protected the 26-25 advantage heading into the break.
Trine opened the second half with urgency, scoring the first seven points to flip the scoreboard. The Thunder scored on consecutive trips to move in front 32-26, forcing Wabash to regroup. Ellspermann responded with a jumper and followed with a three-pointer, sparking a Wabash rally that pulled the Little Giants back within one. His free throws at the 15:35 mark capped a 7-2 Wabash run and briefly restored the lead at 33-32.
That proved to be the turning point. Trine answered immediately with a 10-2 run fueled by Cade Brenner, who buried a three-pointer and added two driving baskets as the Thunder stretched the margin to 42-34. Wabash stayed competitive by attacking the rim, trimming the deficit to six on a Whack layup and again to seven when Matelic finished a fast break with 5:46 remaining.
Trine then delivered the decisive blow. A 7-0 burst extended the lead into double figures, capped by a Jayden Bradshaw three-pointer with 3:48 left that pushed the Thunder's advantage to its largest margin at 63-47. Wabash continued to battle to the final horn, closing on a late 7-0 run highlighted by a
Deric Cannady three-pointer and free throws, but the deficit was too much to overcome.
Ellspermann led Wabash with 15 points, while Matelic added 10. Schippert recorded a team-high 11 rebounds as the Little Giants competed on the glass throughout the contest to finish with 38 carroms compared to 42 by the Thunder, including 11 offensive boards that led to 7 second-chance points for Trine. Wabash shot 34.0 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from three-point range for the game.
Brenner scored a game-high 19 points for Trine, including 11 in the second half, as the Thunder outscored Wabash 38-28 after intermission. Trine also held a 31-24 advantage in bench scoring.
Wabash returns to North Coast Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, hosting defending league champion Denison University at 7 p.m. at Chadwick Court.
