ELGIN, Ill. - Trinity Christian (6-14/2-3) scored the first six points of the game in two minutes only to see Judson University (7-11/4-1) come sprinting back to take the lead and never give it up as the Eagles won their third CCAC game in a row, 81-66. After Trinity Christian had the 6-0 lead, Judson outscored the Trolls, 13-2, in the next three minutes for a 13-8 advantage. From that point on, Judson never relinquished the lead due to a strong defensive effort by the Eagles holding Trinity Christian to just 32% shooting from the floor (27% in the first half).
Three Judson players put up double figures with Landon Skinner putting up 20 points with a team leading six rebounds and four assists. Ben Rayhorn combined for 17 points and six rebounds and Jim Kuban offered 13 points and a career-high eight assists. LeStan Hoskins also had six rebounds. The CCAC leading scorer, Trinity Christian's Will Bruinsma, lead all scorers with 30 points.
With the 13-2 run over three minutes in the first half, Judson took a five point lead, 13-8. Trinity Christian kept the score close, within three, several times. With 1:35 left in the half, Judson was only up, 32-28, before finishing on a 5-0 run for a 37-28 advantage. Rayhorn scored all five points with a layup and three-pointer. It was Judson's defense that was the key in the first half holding Trinity Christian to just 27% from the floor.
Judson pushed their lead to 10, 40-30, in the first minute and half of the second half but Trinity Christian put in the next two buckets to come within six, 40-34. Judson answered with a 10-3 run in three minutes for a 13-point lead, 50-37. Mike Wood capped off the drive with a wide open three-pointer for the 13-point lead. Skinner, Hoskins, and Josh Weber all contributed in the run.
Trinity Christian would not back down as they were with six, two other times in the next five minutes. With 9:27 to go, Matt Buren banked a layup for Trinity Christian to make it 57-51. That is the closest Trinity Christian would come to Judson in the final 10 minutes of the game. Judson had a 12-1 run in a little over five minutes for a 17-point lead, 69-52. Skinner put the final touches on the run with a three-point conversion. The lead never dipped below 14 points after that. Judson took their largest lead of 18, 79-61, on another Skinner shot with 1:25 left to play.
Judson finished shooting 57% from the floor, 46% from three-point range, and 68% from the stripe while holding Trinity Christian to 32% from the floor, 22% from beyond the arc, and 78% from the foul line. Judson also held a three rebound advantage, 36-33, but had 15 turnovers to Trinity Christian's 12.
