GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - After nearly erasing an improbable 22-point second half deficit, the Trine University men's basketball team fell to Calvin College 61-59. The loss drops the Thunder to 14-10 on the season and 7-6 in conference play, just a game ahead of Olivet and Adrian who are all fighting for the final two spots in the conference tournament.
After junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) netted the opening points of the game just 35 seconds in, the defenses came alive as neither team was able to score over the next three minutes of play. The Knights would hit their first bucket of the game at the 16:15 mark. Over the next four minutes Calvin would go on a 19-0 run before sophomore Jake Bagley (Van Wert, Ohio/Van Wert) hit a three for the Thunder, as they trailed 19-5 with 11:25 to play.
The Thunder were unable to cut the Calvin lead down the stretch as the Knights led it 37-19 at halftime.
In the first half, Calvin out-shot the Thunder 16-for-30 compared to just 7-of-27 for Trine.
The start of the second-half also wasn't kind to the Thunder as Calvin pushed their lead to the largest of the game at 22 points just 2:30 into the half. The Thunder would then begin to make their comeback. Trailing 43-21, Trine would go on a 17-4 run, capped on by a three-pointer by freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) with 10:49 to play as the Thunder cut the Calvin lead to single digits.
After the Knights hit a three, Trine once again went on a run, scoring eight straight points, all by senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) to cut the lead to just four points with 6:51 to play. Calvin answered with a run of their own, as they pushed their lead back to double-digits at 57-46.
Once again through, Jackson would lead the Thunder in their comeback scoring 10 straight points including hitting a three with just 15 seconds remaining to pull Trine within a point.
Trine would then foul with 11.8 on the clock, forcing the Knights to the free throw line. Calvin would hit both free throws to put them up by three. The Thunder would get the ball back to Jackson, but Calvin would not allow him to make a shot as they also fouled. Jackson would hit both free throws to again put the Thunder down by just one. Once again through, the Thunder would foul, sending Calvin to the charity stripe and again, they would hit both free throws.
With just under 2 seconds left on the clock, the Knights would again foul Jackson sending him to the line. With not enough time on the clock, Jackson hit the first shot and missed the second on purpose. It worked, as freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) grabbed the rebound and put up a shot as time expired, but it fell just short for the Thunder.
The Thunder defense held the Knights without a field goal in the final 5:35 of the game.
Jackson, who entered the game as the 18th leading scorer in Division III, was the only Trine player to score in double-digits as he led all players with a game-high 28 points, 23 of which came in the second half. Jackson shot 9-of-17 from the floor on the night and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. It was the 14th time this season that Jackson has scored 20 or more points in a game. Watkins added nine points on the night while freshman Tarvis Malone (Toledo, Ohio/St. Johns Jesuit) scored seven off the bench for the Thunder. Malone also grabbed a season-high eight rebounds and dished out six assists. Holmquist also had season- and game-highs with 13 rebounds and four blocks for the night.
Calvin entered the night second in the nation in rebounding margin, but the Thunder out-rebounded the Knights 33-30, marking just the third time this season Calvin has been out-rebounded. The 30 rebounded Trine held the Knights to are the third fewest on the season.
Trine will look to earn their spot in the MIAA Tournament when they host Hope on February 16 at 1:00 p.m. The Thunder can earn a spot outright with a win, or a loss by Adrian or Olivet.