Men’s Basketball Defeated by Saint Xavier  (12/31/07)
Trinity came up just a few points shy of defeating Saint Xavier University (IL). Just eight points, 70-78, separated the Trolls from the CCAC Division I Cougars. The loss gives the team a 7-8 overall record.
 
In the first period the Trolls did not take care of the boards, giving up nine offensive rebounds. They also had a hard time stopping the long range shot as the Cougars were six for ten from three-point land for the period. As a result Trinity trailed by seven points, 31-38, at the half.
 
In the second period the Trolls kept coming at Saint Xavier and time and time again would pull to within a bucket or two, only to have the Cougars increase the lead to six or seven points. With eight minutes left in the game Kurt Gruppen hit a trey that put the Trolls to within one point, 58-59. However the Cougars answered with the next eight points to spread the gap again. In the final minute another trey, this time by Michael Thompson, created a four-point game. That was a close as the team got as two free throws and a lay-up gave Saint Xavier the eight point victory.
 
For the game the Trolls ended up shooting .492 percent from the floor. Saint Xavier ended with a .467 shooting percentage, including 11 for 22 from the arc. The Trolls scored just three points from the line while the Cougars added 11. Trinity lost the rebounding battle with 29 boards to Saint Xavier’s 36.
 
Kurt Gruppen led the scoring with 21 points while Ross Stuursma had 14 and Ebiowei Porbeni had 10. Gruppen also added five rebounds and five assists. Will Bruinsma ended the game with nine points and five assists while Michael Thompson led the assist column with seven.
 
The Trolls play next on January 3 at home against Indiana University-Northwest at 7:30 pm.

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