ANGOLA, Ind. - The Saint Mary's basketball team fell by a 95-44 score at No. 5 ranked Trine on Wednesday night.

 

Neither side saw their offense fire on all cylinders to start the game. Trine scored the opening bucket before a Bella Dugas free throw a minute and some change later made it a 2-1 game. It was another minute before either team scored again with the host Thunder finding a layup almost three minutes into the contest for a 4-1 lead. After another Trine basket, Dugas hit both ends of a trip to the free throw line to cut the deficit to three at 6-3 with 6:06 on the clock. Mary Kate Gareau then used an offensive rebound to score a second-chance layup as the Belles trailed just 6-5 with 5:34 as the Thunder called a timeout. Trine, however, closed out the final 4:34 of the period with 15 points while the Belles were unable to get another shot to drop in the opening stanza as the Thunder took a 21-5 lead after ten minutes of play.

 

A Julia Schutz jumper outside the lane made it a 23-7 game less than two minutes into the second period. Maddie Rzepka added three free throws, and Lauren Gumma dialed in a three-pointer to make it a 20-point game. Despite a bucket from Christina Shadid and a three-point play from Schutz down the stretch of the second quarter, the host Thunder extended their lead and held a 48-18 halftime advantage.

 

Trine made the first shot of the third quarter, but Morgan Flynn hit a three-pointer in response. Maddie Rzepka added a pair of buckets to respond to a stretch of made threes by Trine, but the Belles were unable to cut the deficit to fewer than 30 down the stretch of the remainder of the game in the 95-44 final.

 

Trine shot 53.4 percent from the floor on their home hardwood and connected on 13 three-pointers. Saint Mary's was limited to a 29.8 percent shooting night from the floor and posted two three-pointers in the contest. The second-chance points were nearly identical as Trine held a narrow 19-18 scoring advantage in the category.

 

Eleven different players scored for Saint Mary's as Maddie Rzepka and Julia Schutz led the Belles with seven points apiece. Schutz tied for game-high honors with six rebounds and added two steals. Jasmyne Townsend scored six points, and Lauren Gumma chipped in five points with four rebounds. Mary Kate Gareau also tied for the game-high mark with six rebounds while collecting four points. Nyah Porter tallied a game-high and career-best three blocked shots.

 

The Belles (6-19, 5-11 MIAA) await the finalization of the MIAA Tournament bracket and game times as Saint Mary's will compete in the opening round of the conference tournament on Wednesday, February 23 at a site and time to be determined.