Wabash scored the last five points of the first half and the first eight points of the second half of Saturday’s final game of the Steve Green Men’s Basketball Invitational to take a 12-point lead over 2024 NCAA Division III champion Trine University. But the Little Giants could not hold the lead for the second consecutive game of the event played at Trine’s MTI Center in Angola, Indiana, eventually losing 78-68 to the host Thunder.
Wabash (0-2) trailed by eight points eight minutes into the ballgame before a pair of free throws from Gavin Schippert and three-point baskets from Rich Brooks and Vinny Buccilla tied the score at 16-16. Nate Matelic added another triple for the Little Giants to provide a 19-16 advantage.
Trine (2-0) trailed 24-21 before going on an 8-0 run to take a 29-24 lead with 5:13 remaining in the first half. Brooks hit two free throws and back-to-back fast-break baskets to put Wabash back in front, 30-29. Trine tied the score at 33-33 with 1:43 remaining in the opening period before the Little Giants started their big scoring run. Noah Hupmann gave Wabash the lead with a putback dunk ahead of a Fred Garland free throw for the Thunder. Robert Sorensen connected on a three-point basket to start the scoring run for Wabash, followed by a jumper from Matelic at the buzzer for a 40-36 Wabash lead at the half.
Brooks opened the second half scoring with another three-pointer, then pushed the lead to 45-36 with a jumper in the paint for his 14th point. Buccilla pushed the advantage to 12 points with a fast-break layup and free throw before the Thunder scored for the first time in the second half to end the streak.
Wabash held its lead throughout the early portion of the second half, owning a 54-48 advantage with 12 minutes left to play. An 11-1 run by the Thunder over the next four minutes gave Trine the lead back at 59-57. The Thunder would not trail again, pushing the advantage to as many as 11 points before closing out with a 68-58 victory.
Wabash finished 22-of-56 (39.3 percent) from the field and 8-of-28 (28.6 percent) from three-point range. Trine shot 42.4 percent from the field, hitting 25 of 59 attempts. The Thunder made 8 of 20 three-point shots and held a 40-38 edge in rebounding.
Buccilla led Wabash in scoring with 18 points. Brooks added 14 points. Matelic scored eight points, and Hupmann finished with seven points, 12 rebounds, and three blocked shots. Garland led Trine in scoring with 26 points. Nate Tucker picked up 19 points, Drew Moore scored 11, and Jayce Cusack tossed in 10.
Wabash opens the home portion of its 2024-25 season at 7 p.m. Thursday against Mount St. Joseph University.
