LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Spalding University men's basketball team lost a hard fought game to Blackburn College, 81-73, Saturday evening at Derek Smith Gymnasium dropping the Golden Eagles record to 1-15 overall and 0-8 in SLIAC play.
 
Senior Nick Trisko scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, notching his 11^th double-double on the season, which ranks 6^th in NCAA Division III. Senior James Turner and sophomore Rylan Rowe both contributed 17 points each. Seeing his first significant minutes of the season, freshman Troy Black had a solid performance finishing with six points, five assists and four rebounds.
 
Spalding opened the first three minutes of play on a 6-0 run, but Blackburn answered with an 11-2 run to take their first lead, 11-8, with 15:05 left in the first half. Spalding came back to take the lead after a free throw from Kobe Drake put the Golden eagles up one 12-11. Blackburn reacted quickly with a 7-0 run to go up 18-12 with 11:33 left. Spalding followed with an 18-12 spurt over the next 6:57 to tie the game at 30-30 with 4:16 left. After a 5-0 run by Blackburn to go up 35-30, Spalding responded with a 9-2 spurt to end the half leading, 39-37.
 
Spalding started the second half with a basket by Rylan Rowe to go up 41-37. After trading baskets back and forth Blackburn tied the game 47-47 with 15:18 left. An and-one put Spalding back up three, before three free-throws for Blackburn tied the game again at 50-50. The game was neck and neck tied at 60 with 9:59 left. There were three more ties in the next 2:54 of play before Blackburn went up 67-66. Spalding was never able to come back after getting down 70-66 with 6:48 left. The Golden Eagles fought the rest of the game with Blackburn, but were only able to get it as close as 71-69, before Blackburn ended the game on a 12-4 run.
 
Next, the Golden Eagles will face MacMurray College on Wednesday, January 18. Tipoff is slated for 9:00 pm EST in Jacksonville, Ill.