SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College men's basketball team fought back from a 20 point deficit but couldn't complete its comeback bid, falling 73-65 to Trinity University on Friday night in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 6-17 overall and 2-10 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
Austin College came out strong, with Stephen Igbinosa hammering home a put-back dunk on the first play of the game and the 'Roos taking an early 6-0 lead before an 8-2 run for Trinity squared things up with 15:54 left in the first half. Aaron Knopp's three-point-play gave the Tigers a 15-10 run, but back-to-back threes from Austin Wells gave the edge back to Austin College at 16-15 with 11:10 showing on the clock.
The teams traded baskets, with a triple from Andres Rivera making it 21-20 in favor of Austin College, before a 13-2 run for Trinity made it a 33-23 game with 2:24 left in the opening half. However, Josh Dickerman scored four quick points to pull Austin College to within 33-27 at halftime.
Trinity would push the margin to 10 less than five minutes into the second half, with a bucket by Danny Rivara making it 45-35 before three from Wells and two free throws by Josh Quinn made it a 47-40 game with 13:53 left to play. Trinity would use a 10-1 run to open things up, extending its lead to 57-41 before Austin College countered with a 6-0 run to get it back down to a 10 point game.
However, the Tigers would use one more big run to go on top 69-49 with 4:24 remaining, before Austin College began trying to chip away at the deficit. Jeremy Swisher scored 10 straight for Austin College, and Will Kollet buried a three to cut it to a 70-62 game with 40 seconds left, but that's as close as the 'Roos would get in the eight point loss.
Swisher scored all of his team-high 13 points in the second half, and Wells finished the game with 10 points as the only other Austin College player in double figures. Igbinosa finished with eight points and 10 rebounds, while Dickerman chipped in eight points and came away with three steals. Austin College shot just 26.9% from the field in the game, including knocking down 8-of-31 three pointers, while Trinity hit 46.6% of its shots.
Matt Jones led all scorers with 16 points, adding eight assists and seven steals for Trinity. Rivara and Knopp each had 14 points and Jayden Holden chipped in 12 for the Tigers.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.