GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.-- Calvin closed on a 10-0 run to halt no. 23 Trine's winning-streak at eight games, dealing the Thunder a 74-70 loss Wednesday night in Van Noord Arena.
The Knights scored the final 10 points of the contest after facing a 70-64 deficit with 2:18 to play. The two teams traded blows all night as the game featured 10 ties and 18 lead changes. Neither team ever led by more than seven. Jordan Daley scored 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting to pace Calvin. Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) scored a game-high 26 points on 13-of-19 shooting, grabbed four rebounds and dished out three assists to pace the Thunder. Trine fell to 10-2 overall, 0-1 in the MIAA. The Knights evened their record at 6-6, 1-0 in conference play.
Kyle Dodson (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) came off the bench to hit several huge shots for the Thunder, as he scored 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting. He drained 5-of-7 from three-point range and dished out a career-high six assists. Will Dixon (Indianapolis, Ind./Zionsville) added 14 points and four assists.
Austin Parks added 11 points and dished out six assists for Calvin. Michael Welch also reached double-figures with 10 points. The Knights held a 28-16 edge in scoring in the paint. Calvin also scored 13 second-chance points on the strength of 10 offensive rebounds.
The key stretch was set up by a 14-4 surge by the Thunder. Back-to-back threes by Dodson turned a 60-56 deficit into a 62-60 lead with 4:29 to play. After a Daley layup tied the score, Tarvis Malone (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) drained his first three of the night to give the Thunder the lead right back.
A layup by Holmquist was matched by a Daley layup to keep the scoring margin at three, before Malone splashed down an NBA-range three to push the score to 70-64 with 2:18 remaining.
A Nate Drews three and Daley layup brought Calvin back within one. A pull-up jumper by Parks gave the Knights the lead with 32 seconds to play. Tony Canonie then made the defensive play of the game, forcing a turnover that led to a Denney layup with 16 seconds left.
After a Trine miss, Daley split a pair of free throws with nine seconds remaining for the final margin.
The loss denied Trine its best start in team history. The Thunder previously tied the 1983-84 squad for the best start on record in program history.
Trine will look to rebound this Saturday, Jan. 9 when the Thunder host Kalamazoo at 3 p.m. in Hershey Hall.