HOUSTON - No. 11 Tiger Men's Basketball takes down the University of Wisconsin-Superior on Saturday afternoon.
 
In their first-ever matchup, the Tigers (3-0) secured an 84-76 victory over the Yellow Jackets, powered by a late second-half surge. Christian Green (San Antonio, Texas / Veterans Memorial) delivered an outstanding performance, recording his second double-double of the season with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Green also shot 9-11 from the field, including 1-2 from beyond the arc. Dean Balo (Dallas, Texas / JJ Pearce) set a new career-high with 20 points, hitting 8 of his 15 shots. Jacob Harvey (Huffman, Texas / Hargrave) also contributed significantly, adding 15 points to the Tigers' tally and securing 1000 points in his career. The team showcased impressive offensive efficiency, shooting 53 percent from the field.
 
The Rundown
 
Harvey set the tone early for the Tigers with a three-pointer from beyond the arc. Green followed with a three of his own, and Harvey sank back-to-back free throws to give Trinity a three-point edge. However, UW-Superior answered with a 13-4 run, taking a 22-16 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the first half. After a fresh lineup for Trinity, the Tigers worked to close the gap but struggled to gain momentum as the teams exchanged baskets. Zach Fenn (Covington, Louisiana / Saint Paul's) converted both his free throws to bring the Tigers within one, but the Yellow Jackets countered with an 8-0 run, extending their lead to 39-30. The half ended with both teams adding a few more points, leaving Trinity trailing 41-35 at the break.
 
The Tigers came out firing in the second half, with Green scoring a tough layup and immediately following it with a tip-in to cut the deficit to two. Balo then drove into the heart of the UWS defense, finishing a layup through contact and completing the "and-one" to give Trinity a 42-41 lead. UW-Superior quickly regained the advantage with a three-pointer, but Green responded to tie the game again. After several missed shots on both sides, the Tigers' ball movement found Harvey open in the corner, and he drained a three to put Trinity back on top. With additional baskets, the Tigers stretched their lead to five, but the Yellow Jackets fought back, tying the game at 55 with 12 minutes to play.
 
As the clock wound down, the game remained tight, with UW-Superior holding a slim 64-63 lead with eight minutes remaining. The Tigers then surged ahead with a late offensive explosion. Balo splashed a three-pointer over a Yellow Jacket defender, and Grant Jacobs (New Braunfels, Texas / New Braunfels) secured a key offensive rebound, setting up Carter Ruck (Southlake, Texas / Carroll) for a slicing layup. Balo continued his dominance in the paint, scoring back-to-back baskets to extend the Tigers' lead to six with just 28 seconds left. Green sealed the deal by sinking two free throws, clinching an 84-76 victory for Trinity.
 
Up Next
 
The Tigers will take a trip to California to play against Pomona-Pitzer and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on November 29th and 30th.