HOUSTON – The No. 15 Trinity men's basketball team (6-2) fell on the road tonight to the University of St. Thomas (6-1), 66-53. After a solid first half, the Tigers struggled shooting the ball in the second, allowing the Celts to pull away.
It was a tale of two halves for Trinity tonight. In the first half, they shot an efficient 50% from the field and 50% from three. Shots weren't falling in the second as the Tigers shot 32% from the field and 20% from three. The Celts got the upper hand in the scoring battle, shooting 50% in the first and 60% in the second half. Forty of their points came from inside the paint, while only giving up 16 points inside. They also won the glass tonight, grabbing 24 boards to Trinity's 17 and almost completely shutting the Tigers out on offensive rebounds. Turnovers were another problem tonight for the visiting team, as the Tigers gave up the ball 20 times while only forcing 11 turnovers.
Jackson Lawson (Southlake, Texas / Carroll) led the Tigers in scoring for the second straight night, recording 14 points and 3 rebounds on 50% (4-8) shooting and 43% (3-7) from deep.
Ben Estis (Southlake, Texas / Carroll) was the lone other player in double digits, posting a career-high 13 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 44% (4-9) shooting and 50% (3-6) from deep.
The Rundown
Turnovers were a problem for Trinity early, giving the ball up three times in the first three minutes and allowing the Celts to take an early four-point lead, 7-3. Things remained close throughout as turnovers continued to hinder the Tigers' attack, but their efficient shot-making kept them in the game. The biggest lead of the half belonged to the Celts, who led 23-17 with seven minutes left to play after a quick 6-0 run. The Tigers closed out the final five minutes of the half on an 11-4 run thanks to three late three-pointers, taking a 32-29 lead heading into the second half.
The first 10 minutes of the second half were just as close a ball game as the first half. The Celts held a slight lead throughout, but the Tigers were able to keep things well within striking distance. With just under five minutes to go, despite Trinity beginning to struggle shooting the ball, the lead remained at just five, with St. Thomas up 56-51. From that moment on, however, the Tigers would score only once as the rim began to look smaller than it had all game. The Celts closed things out on a 10-2 run to get a convincing win, 66-53.
Looking Ahead
The Tigers will be back this Tuesday, Dec. 9, at home against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (3-3) in a rematch of Trinity's 82-74 win earlier this season.
