Springfield, Mass. - The Springfield Pride dominated the first half againt the No. 12 ranked Trinity men's basketball team, cruising to a 80-69 win in the Bantams first game of the season. The loss drops Trinity to 0-1 on the year while Springfield improves to 2-2. 

Ed Ogundeko (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Shay Ajayi (Brooklyn, N.Y.) each totaled double doubles for Trinity despite the loss, with Ajayi scoring 14 points and 12 boards and Ogundeko adding 14 points and 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. The Bantams finished the game shooting 37.1% (23-for-62), which was thanks to a 14-for-33 (42.4%) showing in the second half. 

Springfield opened up the game with a 14-2 run spanning less than five minutes of the first half. The Pride extended the lead as high as 28 in the first half before heading into the locker rooms with a commanding 49-25 edge.

Trinity came out better in the second half, cutting Springfield's lead to 70-57 after a pair of free throws from senior Jaquann Starks (Hartford, Conn.) with 4:30 left in the game, but the Pride proved to be too much for a comeback from the Bantams. 

Springfield spent most of the game from the free throw line, going 36-for-48 as the Bantams were whistled for 36 fouls in the contest. Trinity out-rebounded Springfield 44-38 but turned the ball over 15 times on the afternoon. Josh Altman (Rockport, Mass.) led all scorers with 21 points to go along with 10 rebounds, while Josh Downes (East Sandwich, Mass.) chipped in 16 points for the Springfield. Starks and Trinity junior Chris Turnbull (Ridgewood, N.J.) both added nine points for the Bantams.

Trinity returns to action Tuesday, November 24, when they travel to Framingham State to take on the Rams. Tip is set for 6:00 p.m.