Box Score SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Fletcher Bigham netted 22 points and
Jack Bakken added 20, but Trinity University used a 14-4 run in the second half to break open a close game in a 98-85 win over Sewanee in men's basketball action Friday night here at Juhan Gymnasium.
The Tigers (8-11, 4-4 SAA) trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half before putting together a 9-3 spurt that included three baskets from Bigham and one by Bakken, pulling within, 26-21, with eight minutes to play in the period.
Philip Ryan and
Nikolas Avaliani each made 3-pointers later in the half and
Reid Carrier's triple just before the buzzer made it 47-42 Trinity at intermission.
Avaliani's 3-pointer four minutes into the second half cut the deficit to four, but Dean Balo answered with a triple for Trinity. Bakken converted an old-fashioned 3-point play before consecutive baskets from Will Bronson, who paced Trinity with 22 points and a game-high 16 rebounds.
Field goals by Avaliani and Bakken made it a four-point game again at the media timeout with 11:34 remaining. Joshua Chesney and Carter Ruck each connected on triples coming out of the timeout for Trinity, but Bigham posted two free throws and
Aidan Treacy added a layup, keeping the Trinity lead at six.
Chesney scored on a layup and Ruck and Chesney each recorded 3-pointers in a quick 8-0 spurt, extending the Trinity advantage to 80-66 with 7:08 remaining. The lead grew to 18 with 2:48 to play and Trinity emptied its bench, but nearly too early.
Sewanee scored nine points in just over a minute, with Avaliani hitting a triple before two free throws by Bigham and then a layup for Treacy after a turnover. Sean Tisdall missed two foul shots for Trinity and Treacy was fouled on the other end, converting both shots and cutting the deficit to 91-82, with 1:46 to go.
The Tigers got as close as eight and Avaliani rimmed out a 3-point attempt with just over a minute remaining in the game. Trinity connected on 5-of-6 free throws in a 50-second span before a run-out layup by Jackson Lawson put the game away.
Trinity shot 59 percent from the field for the game, including 69 percent (18-of-26) in the second half, hitting 6-of-7 from behind the arc in the final 20 minutes.
Lawson and Balo each finished with 20 points while Ruck added 13, 11 in the second half, and Ben Estis netted 11.
Treacy recorded 13 points and Ryan collected 12 for the Tigers. Bakken and Bigham each pulled down eight rebounds and
Reid Carrier handed out nine assists.
Sewanee hosts Southwestern University at 1 p.m. on Sunday in the second of four straight home games.
