Trinity Uses Big Second Half to Down 'Roos

SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College men's basketball team held a 39-36 lead early in the second half against visiting Trinity University, but the Tigers used a 15-2 run to take a double-figure lead and the 'Roos were unable to recover in an 82-61 loss on Saturday night in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 6-9 overall and 1-5 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

Jamien June scored 17 points to lead Austin College in the loss to the Tigers, who currently lead the SCAC's Gold Division and have the second best record in the league as a whole, but Trinity outscored the 'Roos 48-32 after a closely contested first half of play. The Tigers led 19-9 midway through the opening frame, but a Price Bradley triple closed the gap to 21-18 with 4:31 on the clock. After Trinity pushed the margin back to 29-21, Austin College closed the half strong, narrowing the score to 34-29 on a three from Jackson Rennie with 26 seconds, and that's how things would stand heading into the break.

Austin College scored the first four points of the second half, and after Christian Green got the Tigers on the board and made it 36-33, threes from Ethan Pearce and Rennie put the 'Roos ahead 39-36 with 16:51 left to play. However, the Tigers would respond with a 15-2 run to take a 51-41 lead three minutes later. June scored to make it 54-45 with just over 12 minutes left before Trinity went on a 13-0 run to make it 67-45 with 9:45 on the clock, and the 'Roos were unable to mount a comeback in the closing stretch, with the Tigers leading by at least 15 the rest of the way.

June hit 7-of-14 shots to get his 17 points, and was the lone 'Roo to reach double-figures in the scoring column. Rennie hit 3-of-7 from deep to finish with nine points, and Pearce had eight points, six rebounds, and four assists while Kidus Getenet came off the bench to chip in eight points. Ocie Berry added seven points and Bradley scored six to go along with three assists for the 'Roos, who shot 38.3% from the field and made just 7-of-27 threes. Trinity had 10 players get into the scorebook, led by 18 from Jacob Harvey, who was 5-of-12 from beyond the arc. Green finished with 15 points for the Tigers.