Chicago, Ill — Men's Basketball opened the season Wednesday night in a non conference matchup against Trine inside the Keating Sports Center. Trine defeated Illinois Tech (0-1, 0-0 86-66 as they controlled a 10 point lead most of the second half before extending the lead late in the in the contest. Illinois Tech is now 0-1 overall. The Thunder improve to 2-0 on the season.

How It Happened
Illinois Tech began with a strong start, as John Davis III contributed an early 5-0 run with a layup and a free throw. Trine responded with Nate Tucker's jumper to cut the deficit. The teams traded leads multiple times, with Nicolas Ortiz assisting on a fast-break layup to maintain Illinois Tech's edge. However, Trine's Jayden Bradshaw scored consistently, including a layup at 2:02, which fueled a decisive run. Garrison Carter's layup at 1:03 brought Illinois Tech within seven points, but two free throws by Tucker with 41 seconds left extended the Thunder's lead to 36-27 at the end of the first half.

Trine secured a commanding victory over Illinois Tech with a second-half surge that extended their lead. Logan McKenzie initiated the half with a layup, pushing the Thunder ahead 38-27. Nicolas Ortiz responded with a layup and a free throw to cut the lead to eight at 18:42. Despite Illinois Tech's efforts, including a 3-pointer from Nick Galati at 11:29, Trine's Cade Brenner and McKenzie consistently scored, maintaining their advantage. The visitors capped their dominant performance with a tip-in by Bradshaw at the 37-second mark, concluding the game 86-66.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

John Davis III  
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- 20 points  
- 7 field goals made  
- 6/8 free throws made  
- 2 steals  

Nicolas Ortiz  
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- 7 points  
- 4 assists  
- 3 steals  

Nick Galati  
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- 13 points  
- 3/5 three-pointers made  
- 5/7 field goals made  

Garrison Carter  
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- 13 points  
- 5 rebounds  
- 4 steals  

Thunder Top Performers

Jayden Bradshaw  
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- 19 points  
- 2 blocks  
- 9 rebounds  

Logan McKenzie  
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- 18 points  
- 3 steals  
- 7 rebounds  

Cade Brenner  
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- 11 points  
- 10 rebounds  
- 1 steal  

Danny Flood  
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- 9 assists  
- 3 steals  
- 6 points  

Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech fell to 1-6 lifetime versus the Thunder, including the last four consecutive games.

Up Next
Scarlet Hawks will be back in action Saturday, Nov. 15, as Illinois Tech hosts Rose-Hulman at 1 p.m. inside Keating Sports Center in Chicago.