Saint Mary's basketball dropped its third straight contest on Saturday, losing 83-43 at home against Trine. The defeat moved the Belles to 5-14 overall and 2-8 in conference play.
Offense has been the primary cause of the Belles' struggles since the start of the spring semester. They have failed to break 45 points in each of their last 3 games, scoring a season-low 33 in their previous contest at Calvin.
It didn't take long for Saint Mary's to realize Saturday probably would not go the Belles' way. Saint Mary's hit a couple of early 3-pointers but then scored just 3 points total over a 7-minute stretch. During that time, the Thunder built up a commanding 32-point edge that they were never in jeopardy of surrendering. The Belles' woes continued throughout the middle part of the game, with the team putting up just 14 points in the second and third quarters combined. By the time they found their offensive footing, it was too little, too late.
Trine rode an incredibly balanced attack to victory. Only two players, including just one starter, put up double-digit points. In total, 15 different members of the Thunder got on the scoresheet. Their team defense was strong as well, forcing 25 Saint Mary's turnovers that led to nearly a third of their points. Trine also dominated inside, holding significant advantages in rebounds (49-31) and points in the paint (40-12).
The Belles will now begin a three-game road-trip that kicks off on Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Hope.
