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Merryman's 34 lead HU to sixth straight win

Huntington University forward Shane Merryman rises above th crowd for a short shot on his way to scoring 34 points against visiting Trinity Christian College on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
Huntington University forward Shane Merryman rises above th crowd for a short shot on his way to scoring 34 points against visiting Trinity Christian College on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Photo by Scott Trauner.

Shane Merryman fired in a season-high 34 points and the Huntington University men's basketball team extended its perfect season with an 84-66 win over visiting Trinity Christian College on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

TJ Short tallied 15 points, Daniel Woll had 13 and Derek Hinen added 10 points as HU improved to 6-0 on the season despite not shooting 50 percent or more from the field for the first time this season.

Merryman, a 6-5 senior, scored six points in a three-minute span early in the first half as the Foresters turned a 4-4 tie into a 17-6 lead. They led going into the halftime break, 41-32.

Hinen, a freshman, also dished out a game-high 11 assists for the first double-double of his college career.

Merryman tallied the Foresters' first two baskets of the game and Cody Rhorer and Ezekiel Odonkor matched that for the Trolls, 1-3, for the early 4-4 tie. Woll then scored off a Short assist and Merryman put in two free throws followed by a bucket from the field. Following a pair of Trinity free throws, Ryan Boester knocked down a three-ball and assisted on a Merryman basket before Short finished off the 13-2 run with a fielder.

Jared Jones led Trinity with 17 points. Rhorer added 12 and Joe Hehir chipped in 10.

HU hit only 29 of 62 field goal tries for 46.8 percent. The Foresters did hit 12 of 24 for 50 percent from beyond the arc, and banged in 14 of 17 free throw tries for 82.4 percent.

Trinity, which hit 24 of 48 shots from the floor for an even 50 percent, could get no closer than seven points in the second half, and spent the last 14 minutes of the game at a double-digit disadvantage.

Woll led HU to a 31-29 rebounding margin with eight boards, and Merryman had six to go along with five assists. Woll added to his game with three blocks.

Kyle Pipenger came off the HU bench to rack up three assists as the Foresters piled up 28 dimes on their 29 field goals.