Mt Vernon, Ohio – The AQ men's basketball team returned to Ariel Arena on Saturday morning (Nov. 9) to go toe-to-toe with the Trinity Christian Trolls. Aquinas came out of the gates early and never looked back, holding a team for the entirety of the game. At the end of the game, AQ held a 73-58 advantage.

This was a statement win for the new-look Aquinas side. With the win, AQ improves to 1-1 this season while the Trolls fall to a 2-2 record.

Aquinas 73, Trinity Christian 58

AQ fired off the blocks in the first half, facilitating the ball well and playing strong defense. The Saints went on a 15-3 run in the first four minutes with four different Aquinas players contributing buckets. The contest turned into more of a back-and-forth after that, with Trinity Christian College (TCC) slowly chipping away at the lead.

With just under 10 minutes to play in the first half, TCC drew the game within two possessions following a layup. AQ responded with a pair of Jacob Howard free throws and a Devon Boyd layup to reinstate a double-digit lead. AQ continued to play well throughout the remainder of the first half, taking as much as a 14-point lead near the end of the half. Trinity Christian converted a pair of free throws right before the first-half buzzer, but AQ held a 39-27 lead.

The Saints scored nearly 40 points in the first half thanks to nearly 50% shooting from the field. Seven different Saints scored as Boyd led the charge with 12 points.

Howard immediately set the tone in the second half, splashing a three to take AQ's largest lead of the game. TCC had no answer to remove the deficit as Aquinas continued to maintain a double-digit lead. A Boyd three with 14:47 on the clock allowed AQ to take a commanding 16-point lead.

However, following that Boyd three, the Trolls began to click offensively, taking the Aquinas lead down to nine points with nine minutes left to play. After that short run, the Saints were able to slow down the Trolls' offense and rebuild their lead. Free throws from Caedmon Huff and a jumper from Kaleb Mitchelson put AQ ahead by 14 once again. Then, with the clock winding down, a pair of Jadakiss Lewis layups iced the game for AQ.

By the Numbers

• The Saints had a solid day shooting the ball, converting on 45.8% from the field while limiting the Trolls to a 34.5% field goal percentage.
• Three different Saints reached double-digit points with Boyd leading the team after scoring 21. McGee posted 12 points and Lewis reached 10.
• Caden Pokorzynski was AQ's glass cleaner all game, recording two offensive rebounds and 11 defensive rebounds for a game-high 13 boards. That mark was a career-high for the 6'7 sophomore.
• The Saints had 14 total assists with Boyd proving to be the primary facilitator with six assists.
• A massive difference in the game came way of the bench as the Saints outscored TCC's bench 26-2.
• After taking the lead early, the Saints never looked back, leading for 98% of the game.

Up Next

Aquinas will play its first home game of the 2024-25 season on Tuesday (Nov. 12) as the Saints host Holy Cross. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.