SPRING ARBOR, MI – The Spring Arbor University men's basketball team hit their first three shots of the season and took a 6-0 advantage over the visiting Lawrence Tech University and never looked back as the Cougars rolled over the Blue Devils 67-46 in the opening game of the Trent Allen Memorial Tip-off Tournament.

Matt Howe, Matt Van Pelt, and Chris Bellamy all hit buckets within the first two minutes and it was a workman like effort the rest of the way as the Cougars would build a 12 point buffer when Bellamy hit a deep 3-pointer from about 25 feet as time as winding down in the first half.  Spring Arbor led LTU 33-21 at the break.

Coming out in the second half, the Blue Devils would cut the lead to four points, but that was about the point that Rob Hogans, and Matt Howe started to get heated up.

Howe converted a couple of Blue Devil turn overs into buckets on the Cougar end and Hogans hit a couple of 3-pointers and slammed a couple of dunks in to ignite the crowd and spark the Cougars into the Championship game tomorrow afternoon.

Spring Arbor had three Cougars in double figures led by Hogans, who led all scorers with 20 points.  Howe poured in 18 points and Chris Bellamy added 10 for SAU.  Hogans was an impressive 8 of 12 from the field and Howe went 6-6 from the free throw line.

Matt Van Pelt put a solid night's work in running the point as he dished out seven assists against only two turn overs and added six points going 3-3 from the field.

Spring Arbor will play the University of Windsor who defeated the Trent Allen Memorial defending champions Lourdes University 74-63.  The Lancers shot the lights out from beyond the arc hitting 15 of 31 shots from long range. 

Lourdes University will play Lawrence Tech in the first game Saturday at noon.  Spring Arbor and Windsor will start approximately 25 minutes after the conclusion of game one.