Northfield, Vt. –The defending champion Trinity College Bantams dominated their first round game of the Ed Hockenbury Men's Basketball Classic with a 77-43 win over the Rivier University Raiders this evening at Norwich University.  The host Cadets posted a 96-65 triumph against the University of Maine-Augusta in the other first round contest, and the Bantams will defend their 2013 title against Norwich tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m.  Trinity improves to 6-2 with its fourth consecutive victory, while the Raiders drop to 2-5 and will play Maine-Augusta in the consolation game tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Norwich.

Junior forward Shay Ajayi (Brooklyn, N.Y.) posted 16 points, five rebounds and three steals for the Bantams, while sophomore Chris Turnbull (Ridgewood, N.J.) added 15 points, and junior guard Jaquann Starks' (Hartford, Conn.) scored 13 points.  Rivier was led by freshman guard Andre Ruff (Lowell, Mass.) with a game-high 10 points and eight rebounds, while David Lorden (Pepperell, Mass.) added nine points and three rebounds on the night.  Trinity opened the first half with a 13-3 run and dominated the game defensively, forcing Rivier to turn the ball over 23 times and scoring 25 points off them.