PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. –   Javonte Young (SR/Mishawaka, Ind.) and Taylor Brooks (SO/Granger, Ind.) combined for 40 points as the Indiana University South Bend men’s basketball team defeated the Trinity Christian Trolls by a score of 83-69 in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference action on Tuesday night.

Slow starts have been the story of the season for the Titans. However, that was not the case tonight. IU South Bend built a 14-2 lead just a couple minutes into the contest forcing TCC to use an early timeout.

Over the next nine minutes, the Trolls gained the momentum and sliced the Titan lead to 25-21, forcing Coach Cooper to call a timeout.

IU South Bend continued to force contested shots and give the Trolls open looks from the perimeter, resulting in TCC taking the lead with 5:06 to play in the half on a pair of free throws from Nari Garrett.

The final five minutes of the opening half was a shootout featuring seven lead changes. The half ended in at 39-all.

Brooks had the hot hand for IU South Bend in the first half, scoring 12 points while Young added 10.

Hot shooting during the first 10 minutes of the second half helped the Titans hold on to the lead. Leading 51-49, IU South Bend went on a 13-4 run to help build an 11 point lead.

IU South Bend extended its lead to as many as 18 points, securing a win with just under two minutes to go in the game.

Young finished with a game-high 23 points while Brooks added 17 points.  T.J. Benner added 15 points for the winners.

Riley Stichter, a Wawasee High School product, had seven points and three rebounds for the Titans. Racine Jackson, a WCHS graduate, was scoreless in three minutes of action for IUSB.

The Titans will return to action on Saturday as they host Lawrence Tech University at 3:30 p.m.

IUSB Women Victorious

Loren Vukovits (FR/North Liberty, Ind.) had a career night with 22 points and 13 rebounds leading the Indiana University South Bend women’s basketball team past Trinity Christian College 60-48 Tuesday night.

IU South Bend moves to 6-4 on the season with a 2-1 mark in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference action.

The opening frame saw both teams struggling to put the ball in the baskets as Trinity Christian led by just one point at 9-8.

Scoring picked up in the second quarter as the Trolls and maintained their lead midway through the quarter. With the game even at 17 with 6:21 to play in the half, the Titans went on an 8-0 run that was capped with back-to-back triples from Vukovits and Brianna Blackwell (SO/Whiting, Ind.).

A jumper from Courtney Smith (SO/Fort Wayne, Ind.) with nine seconds to play in the quarter gave the Titans a nine point advantage after 20 minutes of play.

Jackie Stalder (SR/Kenton, Ohio) widened the IU South Bend gap with a three-point field goal to start the third quarter, putting the Titans ahead by 12 points. Smith followed up with a lay-in of her own to give the Titans their largest lead of the game, 36-22.

TCC climbed back into the contest with an 8-0 run to trim the IU South Bend lead to six points.

The Trolls continued to battle, however, the Titans staved off the TCC comeback attempt to secure a 12-point triumph over the home team.

Smith contributed 17 points while playing all 40 minutes of the game. Blackwell finished with 10 points and six rebounds in the win.

KiLee Knafel, a former standout at Wawasee High School, had a rebound and a steal in 12 minutes of action for the Titans.

The Titans will have a short break for the Thanksgiving holiday and return to action on Saturday as they welcome the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.