Thunder Men's Basketball News

3/28 - Jackson Earns Two More All-American Honors

ANGOLA, Ind. - Trine University men’s basketball player Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) has garnered two more All-American honors this week, bringing his total All-American awards to three for the 2013 postseason.

Earlier in the week, the senior guard was named to the 2013 DIII News All-American Fourth Team after averaging 21.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game on the year. Jackson was one of only 25 players selected to one of the five DIII News All-American teams and the only player from the MIAA.

Then, on Thursday March 28, it was announced that Jackson was named to the 2013 D3hoops.com All-American Honorable Mention team. Jackson was one of just two players named a D3hoops.com All-American that were also selected to the All-Region Great Lakes team. Jackson was again the only MIAA representative among the five teams announced. A full list of the honorees can be found here.

Jackson, the schools fifth all-time leading scorer with 1,781 career points, ends his four years at Trine as one of the most decorate players in school history. Earlier this year Jackson garnering All-American honors by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and was selected to play in the NABC 2013 Reese’s Division III College All-Star game. Jackson was also named to the NABC Great Lakes All-District First team and the D3hoops.com Great Lakes All-Region First Team.

In addition to the regional and national honors, Jackson became the first Thunder player to earn MIAA MVP honors since Trine joined the conference in 2004. He was also selected to the All-MIAA First Team for the third straight year.

3/21 - Jackson Named All-American and DIII All-Star

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After being named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) First Team All-District earlier this week, it was announced today, March 21, that Trine University men’s basketball senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) was named to the 2013 NABC Coaches’ Division III All-America Third Team. The NACA All-American teams were selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC in NCAA Division III. The complete All-American list can be found here.

It was also announced on Tuesday, March 19 that Jackson was selected to be a member of the West squad in the NABC 2013 Reese’s Division III College All-Star game, which will be played as part of the 2013 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship. The Reese’s Division III College All-Star game will be played on Saturday, March 23, at 3:30 p.m., prior to the NCAA Division III semifinals at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va. The teams are composed of two senior student-athletes from each of the eight regions in Division III nominated by coaches and selected by a panel of coaches representing each region in Division III. Two more senior student-athletes were selected by online voting on D3hoops.com. The complete West and East rosters can be found here.

Jackson was the lone representative from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) named an All-American and selected to the All-Star game. As an All-American, Jackson was one of 24 players selected for the first, second or third teams. Jackson is the first Trine player selected as an NABC All-American and is also the first player ever selected to participate in the Reese’s Division III College All-Star game.

In addition to being named an All-American, Jackson has also been named the MIAA Most Valuable Player and was a First Team All-MIAA selection. Jackson was also previously named to the D3hoops.com All-Region First Team. Jackson led the MIAA in scoring this season with 21.0 points per game in league play and finished the conference season eighth in assists.

3/18 - Jackson Named NABC First Team All-District

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The postseason honors continue to roll in for Trine University men’s basketball player Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) as today it was announced by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that he was named to the NABC Great Lakes All-District First team. The NABC Coaches’ Division III All-District teams recognize the best men’s collegiate basketball student-athletes and coaches in the division, selected by member coaches of the NABC in NCAA Division III. 

The senior guard was one of six players selected to the first team, and the only from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). Jackson, a First Team All-MIAA selection and MIAA Most Valuable Player, had also previously been named to the D3hoops.com All-Region First Team. Jackson led the MIAA in scoring this season with 21.0 points per game in league play and finished the conference season eighth in assists.

About the National Association of Basketball Coaches

Located in Kansas City, MO, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest “Phog” Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas.  Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game.  The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches.  All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s student-athletes.  The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education.  Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.

3/13 - Jackson Named D3Hoops.com First Team All-Region

MINNEAPOLIS - Trine University men’s basketball senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) has been named Trine’s first-ever D3Hoops.com All-Great Lakes Region honoree, earning First Team recognition. Jackson, the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Player was also named to the All-MIAA First Team.

Jackson, a guard, becomes Trine’s first basketball player ever named to the D3Hoops.com all-region team since they began the award following the 2005-06 season. Jackson led the MIAA in scoring this season with 21.0 points per game in league play en-route to earning MVP honors. Jackson is the first Thunder player to earn MIAA MVP honors since Trine joined the conference in 2004. He was also selected to the All-MIAA First Team for the third straight year. In addition, Jackson finished the conference season eighth in assists.

Jackson helped lead the Thunder to their first back-to-back winning seasons in over a decade and back-to-back third place finishes in the MIAA and a spot in the MIAA Tournament.

Players were nominated for these awards by the Sports Information Directors at the various schools, who were contacted multiple times as the season wound down to remind them to make their players eligible. There were 729 players nominated nationwide. The ballot was then made available to SIDs, who voted for a predetermined number of players in their region. 

2/26 - Jackson Named MIAA MBB Most Valuable Player

Rogers Named All-MIAA Second Team

ROYAL OAK, Mich. - Trine University men’s basketball player senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) has been named Trine’s first-ever Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Player. Jackson led the All-MIAA First Team while fellow senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) earned second team honors.

Jackson, a guard, led the MIAA in scoring this season with 21.0 points per game in league play en-route to earning MVP honors. Jackson is the first Thunder player to earn MIAA MVP honors since Trine joined the conference in 2004. He was also selected to the All-MIAA First Team for the third straight year. In addition, Jackson finished the conference season eighth in assists and ended the regular season ranked 21st in Division III in points per game. This season against Olivet on February 9, Jackson scored a career-high 44 points, which currently ranks tied for seventh most this season in Division III.

For Trine, it marks the first conference MVP in men’s basketball since former Tri-State All-American Chad LaCross earned the honors after the 2000-01 season when the Thunder played in the NAIA as a member of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.

Rogers, a forward, is Trine’s first four-time All-MIAA honoree after being named to the first team a season ago and the second team during his freshman and sophomore campaigns. Rogers finished the MIAA season sixth in points averaging 14.6 in 13 games. Rogers also ranked in the top-10 in five other statistical categories including: fifth in field goal percentage, seventh in blocked shots and free throw percentage, eighth in steals and 10th in rebounding.

Jackson and Rogers helped the Thunder to their first back-to-back winning seasons since the 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons. This marks the fourth time that Trine has had at least two players named All-MIAA. The Thunder have also had at least one player named All-MIAA since joining the conference, a run of nine straight seasons.

2/21 - Thunder Fall in MIAA Tournament

HOLLAND, Mich. - An early lead wasn’t enough for the third seeded Trine University men’s basketball team to knock off the number two seed Hope College as the Thunder fell 76-63. The squad ends their season with a 14-12 record.

Trine got things started on their first possession of the game with a basket by junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard). Hope would answer with a basket of their own. The two sides would trade baskets early as freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) hit a pair of three’s for the Thunder. Trine would take their largest lead of the game at 20-14 with 11:34 to play.

The Thunder lead wouldn’t last long as the Flying Dutchmen would come back to score six straight and tie it at 20 with 9:37 to play. Trine would score back-to-back buckets of their own to re-take the lead, but once again Hope would rally to tie the game with 5:50 to play.

Hope would take their first lead of the game with 2:59 to play. Senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) would hit a pair of free throws with just 2.5 seconds left to pull the Thunder within three at 38-35 at halftime.

Trine shot 50% from the floor in the first half hitting 15-of-30.

The two teams traded baskets to open the second half before Hope would score seven straight to take a 49-39 lead with 15:33 to play. The Thunder would score five straight of their own to cut into the Flying Dutchmen lead. Hope would go on another seven point run to push their lead to 13 points. Tatu would drill a three with 6:17 left in the game to pull the Thunder within six at 62-56 but that would be as close as they would get it as Hope pulled away in the end.

Jackson along with fellow senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) and junior Tyler Good (Swanton, Ohio/Evergreen) led the Thunder with 12 points on the night. The 12 points by Good was also a career-high. Tatu finished the night with nine points, all from long distance. Fellow freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) added eight points and led the Thunder with seven rebounds. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) led all players with a game-high five assists.

For the night, the two sides shot nearly identical numbers as Trine made 25-of-61 (41%) from the floor while Hope connected on 26-of-63 (41.3%). Much like their previous meeting, Hope was able to convert on their free throw opportunities as they made 23-of-31 chances while the Thunder made 10-of-19.

2/16 - Thunder Fall in Nail-Biter on Senior Day

By Sports Information Student Assistant Caitlin Reynolds  

ANGOLA, Ind. - The Trine University men’s basketball team gave it their all for their seniors in their final home game at Hershey Hall, but fell just short falling to Hope College by a score of 81-72. The loss drops the Thunder to 14-11 on the season and 7-7 in the MIAA. Trine will be the three seed in the MIAA Tournament and will make a return visit to Hope for a semi-final game.

Although the Thunder suffered a defeat, they still had tremendous support from the fans. In their largest crowd of the season, Hershey hall was filled with Thunder Nation supporters, cheering on the seniors in their final home game on Senior Day and Hoopla Community Day.

Senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) scored the opening points of the game with a jumper, but Hope would answer back and quickly take the lead at 17:57. The two teams would go back-and-forth trading leads, until with 8:41 junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) would make a layup to put the Thunder ahead by two. Hope would answer by hitting a three to take the lead for good.

The Thunder were out-shot in the first half by the Flying Dutchmen 14-of-25 compared to 12-of-26 for Trine.

With a score of 39-34 starting in the second half, freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) would hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to three. Holmquist would put the Thunder down just one off a steal and a layup.. Hope would answer back however, and would push the lead to 15 with 11:49 to play.

Watkins would hit a jumper with 10:23 left to play to cut the lead to 11, and freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) sank a pair of three-pointers to cut the lead to seven with 9:29 to go.

Trine would cut the lead back down to two with a clutch three from senior Neil Smith (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) with 8:17 left to play. The two teams would again trade baskets, but despite the valiant effort, the Thunder would be unable to take a lead.

Holmquist and Watkins lead the Thunder with 16 points each, both were season-highs. Watkins shot 7-of-11 from the field while Holmquist hit 4-of-9. Holmquist also went 8-8 from the line, and led the Thunder with a game-high nine rebounds while Watkins grabbed four. Jackson added 10 points of his own, along with going 4-4 from the line and making four steals. Tatu would add 9 points, all from long range.

For the afternoon, Trine and Hope shot nearly identical number as the Thunder hit 24-of-52 from the floor while the Flying Dutchmen made 24-of-46. The difference came at the charity stripe as Hope converted 29-of-39 while Trine made 18-of-20.

Trine will head to Holland for a rematch on February 21 at 7:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to the MIAA Championship game.

2/13 - Thunder Nearly Pull Off 22-Point Comeback

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - After nearly erasing an improbable 22-point second half deficit, the Trine University men’s basketball team fell to No. 19 Calvin College 61-59. The loss drops the Thunder to 14-10 on the season and 7-6 in conference play, just a game ahead of Olivet and Adrian who are all fighting for the final two spots in the conference tournament.

After junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) netted the opening points of the game just 35 seconds in, the defenses came alive as neither team was able to score over the next three minutes of play. The Knights would hit their first bucket of the game at the 16:15 mark. Over the next four minutes Calvin would go on a 19-0 run before sophomore Jake Bagley (Van Wert, Ohio/Van Wert) hit a three for the Thunder, as they trailed 19-5 with 11:25 to play.

The Thunder were unable to cut the Calvin lead down the stretch as the Knights led it 37-19 at halftime.

In the first half, Calvin out-shot the Thunder 16-for-30 compared to just 7-of-27 for Trine.

The start of the second-half also wasn’t kind to the Thunder as Calvin pushed their lead to the largest of the game at 22 points just 2:30 into the half. The Thunder would then begin to make their comeback. Trailing 43-21, Trine would go on a 17-4 run, capped on by a three-pointer by freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) with 10:49 to play as the Thunder cut the Calvin lead to single digits.

After the Knights hit a three, Trine once again went on a run, scoring eight straight points, all by senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) to cut the lead to just four points with 6:51 to play. Calvin answered with a run of their own, as they pushed their lead back to double-digits at 57-46.

Once again through, Jackson would lead the Thunder in their comeback scoring 10 straight points including hitting a three with just 15 seconds remaining to pull Trine within a point.

Trine would then foul with 11.8 on the clock, forcing the Knights to the free throw line. Calvin would hit both free throws to put them up by three. The Thunder would get the ball back to Jackson, but Calvin would not allow him to make a shot as they also fouled. Jackson would hit both free throws to again put the Thunder down by just one. Once again through, the Thunder would foul, sending Calvin to the charity stripe and again, they would hit both free throws.

With just under 2 seconds left on the clock, the Knights would again foul Jackson sending him to the line. With not enough time on the clock, Jackson hit the first shot and missed the second on purpose. It worked, as freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) grabbed the rebound and put up a shot as time expired, but it fell just short for the Thunder.

The Thunder defense held the Knights without a field goal in the final 5:35 of the game.

Jackson, who entered the game as the 18th leading scorer in Division III, was the only Trine player to score in double-digits as he led all players with a game-high 28 points, 23 of which came in the second half. Jackson shot 9-of-17 from the floor on the night and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. It was the 14th time this season that Jackson has scored 20 or more points in a game. Watkins added nine points on the night while freshman Tarvis Malone (Toledo, Ohio/St. Johns Jesuit) scored seven off the bench for the Thunder. Malone also grabbed a season-high eight rebounds and dished out six assists. Holmquist also had season- and game-highs with 13 rebounds and four blocks for the night.

Calvin entered the night second in the nation in rebounding margin, but the Thunder out-rebounded the Knights 33-30, marking just the third time this season Calvin has been out-rebounded. The 30 rebounded Trine held the Knights to are the third fewest on the season.

Trine will look to earn their spot in the MIAA Tournament when they host Hope on February 16 at 1:00 p.m. The Thunder can earn a spot outright with a win, or a loss by Adrian or Olivet.

2/9 - Thunder Fall to Comets on the road

OLIVET, Mich. - Despite a career day from senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian), the Trine University men’s basketball team fell on the road to Olivet College 84-79. The loss drops the Thunder to 14-9 on the season and 7-5 in the MIAA, a game ahead of the Comets.

The two teams battled it out early as neither team could pull away in the opening 9 minutes. With the scored tied at 19-19 and 11:12 to play, the Comets made their run, out-scoring Trine 18-7 to take their largest lead of the half with 4:31 remaining. The Thunder reeled the score back in as they closed the gap to just five points as junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) hit a layup with 12 seconds to play. However, Olivet closed out the half with a buzzer beating three by Dakotah Ellis as the Comets led it 48-40 at the break.

It was a tough start to the second half for the Thunder as Olivet pushed their lead to 15 twice early in the second half. Trine would answer back as they went on an 8-0 over a 4 minute stretch to cut the lead to seven points.

Over the final 10 minutes of the half, the two teams fought it out as the Olivet kept the Thunder at bay. Trine was forced to foul the Comets in the final minutes as the teams traded free throws over the last two minutes. Trine cut the deficit to just four, on a three-pointer by Jackson with just nine seconds to play but were unable to get any closer in the final seconds.

It was a career day for Jackson as he set a career-high with 44 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the floor. Jackson also hit 17-of-23 from the free throw line, setting a school record for attempts and tying the record for attempts made, and nabbing three steals. Watkins earned his first career double-double scoring 12 points, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds and making three steals. Senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) also scored in double-digits, adding 10 points to go along with six rebounds and two blocks. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) finished the afternoon with a game-high five steals and pulling down five rebounds.

Both teams shot nearly identical numbers from the floor, both hitting 50% of their shots. The Thunder made 27-of-54 while Olivet made 28-of-56 on the day.

The 44 points by Jackson ranks tied for the 7th most this season in NCAA Division III. It was also the most by an individual in an MIAA game since Hope’s Will Bowser scored 46 in an overtime game against Kalamazoo on January 26, 2011.

Jackson’s 23 free throw attempts breaks the record of 20 set by Brian White back on December 7, 1991 against Michigan-Dearborn. The 17 free throws made by Jackson tie him with four other players who share the record, which was mostly recently accomplished by Chris Singpiel against Spring Arbor during the 1993-94 season.

The Thunder, still looking to clinch the three seed in the MIAA tournament, will try to deny Calvin College from clinching the MIAA title as Trine heads to Grand Rapids on February 13 for an 8:00 p.m. game.

2/6 - Thunder Fall in First Overtime Game of the Year

ALBION, Mich. - It was a tough night for the Trine University men’s basketball team as they dropped their first overtime game of the season 73-68 to Albion College. The loss drops the Thunder to 14-8 on the season and 7-4 in the MIAA.

After both teams were shutout through the opening three minutes, Trine senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) hit the opening bucket before the two teams began to battle it out. For nearly 6 minutes of play, the Thunder and Britons traded baskets as neither team could break through. Finally with 11:42 to play in the half, the Thunder would score 13 straight points to take a 12 point lead. After Albion ended their drought, senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) nailed a three to give the Thunder their largest lead of the game at 30-17.

From there, Trine’s offense would score just two points in the final 5:48 as Albion closed out the half on a 14-2 run as the Thunder led 32-31 heading into the break.

Albion would make the first shot of the second half as they took their first lead of the game since early on in the first half. After trading baskets and with the score tied, the Britons would hit a three-pointer to re-take the lead. The offenses would go quiet again as both teams were shutout over a 4:01 period of play.

Jackson would end the drought, giving Trine the lead back with 11:34 to play in the game. Jackson would put the Thunder out in front as he was fouled on a three-point try and made all three of the ensuing free throws. Albion once again battled back as the two teams traded baskets through the final 9:58 of the game.

After the Britons hit a pair of free throws, Rogers would make the front-end of a pair of free throws to tie the game at 60 with 1:49 to play in the game.

With just 9.1 seconds remaining the Thunder called a timeout to setup their final shot. Jackson took a jumper with the clock winding down, but was off target as the ball clanked off the rim to send the game into overtime.

In overtime, Albion would score the first points of the extra period. After a Trine free throw, the Britons would add another basket to go up by three. Rogers though would hit a pair of free throws to pull the Thunder within one. After Trine committed a foul, Albion would convert on both free throws to go up again by three. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) would respond with his first basket of the game with a runner in the lane. Albion would put the dagger into the Thunder as they hit a three with 53 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, the Thunder would be unable to find the bottom of the net as they were forced to foul Albion, who then converted on two free throws. Albion would hit another pair of free throws to cement the game.

Jackson led the Thunder with a game-high 23 points on 7-of-15 shooting. Freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) scored 15 points on the night off the bench for Trine. Fellow freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) added in 13 points and five rebounds. Rogers also scored in double-figures, adding 11 points while grabbing five rebounds, dishing out three assists and nabbing a game-high three steals. Making his second straight start for the Thunder, junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) led the team with seven rebounds. Hall recorded his second straight game with double-digits assists with 12, which was also a season- and game-high.

With his first field goal of the game, Jackson took over 5th place on Trine’s all-time scorers list, breaking a tie with Jeff Hossler. The game marks the 12th time this season that Jacksons has scored 20-plus points. The 12 assists by Hall is tied for the most by a Trine player since joining the MIAA, matching Deon Thompson who also recorded 12 against Hope on February 21, 2009.

Trine will look to clinch at least the third seed in the MIAA tournament when they travel to Olivet on February 9 for a 3:00 p.m. game.

2/4 - Rogers Named MIAA Player of the Week

ROYAL OAK, Mich. - The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named Trine University forward Scott Rogers its Player of the Week in men’s basketball for games played through February 2.

Rogers, a senior from Waterford, Mich. (Kettering HS), averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds in leading the Thunder to a pair of MIAA victories. He scored a career-high 33 points and pulled down 11 boards in an 81-68 win over Alma, then added 17 points and nine rebounds in a 64-46 victory over Adrian. Rogers, who is being honored as Player of the Week for the second time this season and third time in his career, shot 71 percent from the field (20 of 28) and 91 percent from the free-throw line (10 of 11) for the week while playing nearly all 40 minutes in both games.

2/2 - Trine's Defense Dominates Bulldogs

ANGOLA, Ind. - In one of their most dominating performances of the season, the Trine University men’s basketball team never trailed in their 64-46 win over conference rival Adrian College. The Thunder now stand at 14-7 on the season and 7-3 in the MIAA.

Trine scored the first four points of the game and never looked back. Trine held the Bulldogs to just nine points through the opening 10 minutes of the half and they built a double-digit lead as the defense held Adrian without a point for nearly a five minute period. Trine’s defense would go on another run, holding the Bulldogs to just one point down the stretch as they built their lead to 18 points. The Bulldogs would add a basket just before the half as the Thunder led it 38-22 going into the locker room.

The 16 points halftime lead was the second largest the Bulldogs had allowed on the season. Turnovers were key for the Thunder in the first half as they converting seven Adrian errors into 16 points. Trine shot a sizzling 58.6% (17-for-29) in the half.

The Thunder started the second half on a 4-1 run as they held their largest lead of the game at 19 points. For the first time in the game, the Thunder offense was held scoreless for a five minute period as Adrian cut the lead to 10 points with 11:54 to play. The Bulldogs would chop the lead down to eight with 11:15 to play but the Thunder defense would again hold Adrian scoreless for a four minute run as they never got any closer. Trine would build their lead back to double-digits as they held the Bulldogs to just seven points for the remainder of the game.

In all, four different Trine players scored in double-figures. Senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) led the Thunder with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor and nine rebounds. Fellow senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) added 15 points, six rebounds and three assists on the day. The freshmen tandem of Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) and Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) had 14 and 11 points respectively. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) had a career night, dishing out 11 assists, 10 of which came in the first half. Hall also had a game-high three steals.

The Thunder defense held Adrian to a season-low with 46 points. Trine committed a season-low five turnovers on the afternoon. The 11 assists by Hall were the most since Deon Thompson recorded 12 against Hope on February 21, 2009.

In the game, Jackson moved into a tie for 5th on the Trine all-time scoring list with 1,670 career points. Jackson also continues to climb the MIAA career scoring leaders, now with 851 points which ranks him 13th in conference history.

The Thunder will begin a three-game road trip when they travel to Albion for an 8:00 p.m. game on February 6.

1/30 - Rogers’ Career-High Leads Thunder in Comeback Win

ANGOLA, Ind. - It wasn’t a pretty start for the Trine University men’s basketball team, but the Thunder mounted a huge comeback despite trailing 15 points in the opening five minutes to defeat Alma College 81-68. The Thunder improve their record to 13-7 on the season and 6-3 in the MIAA.

The Scots would open the game on a 16-1 run, as they hit six of their first eight shots. Trine would get their offense going with the help of senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) who slammed home back-to-back dunks to send the crowd into a frenzy. Trine would continue to pound the ball inside to Rogers as they chipped away at the Alma lead. Thanks to the tandem of Rogers and fellow senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian), the Thunder trailed it by just one, 40-39 at halftime. Jackson and Rogers combined to score 32 points for Trine in the first half.

After Alma made a free throw at the start of the second half, the Thunder would go on a 10-0 run to take their first lead of the game, one they would never relinquish. Leading by just six at 52-46, Trine would again go on an extended run, 15-3, to take their largest lead of the game. The Thunder defense never allow Alma to puller closer than nine points, which came with 46 seconds left before Trine scored the final four points of the contest.

Rogers led all players with his third double-double of the season and a career-high 33 points on 13-of-16 shooting. Rogers’ 11 rebounds were also a game-high.  Jackson also had a solid night with 24 points and adding four assists. Freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) added in 12 points while grabbing six boards and making a game-high three steals.  Fellow freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) scored in double-digits with 10 points and also napping three steals. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) led all players with six assists on the night.

Despite the slow start, Trine finished the first half shooting 44.8% (13-of-29) from the floor.

Trine will be back at home on February 2 for a 3:00 p.m. game as they look to avenge an earlier loss to Adrian College.

1/26 - Thunder Use First Half Run to Defeat Hornets

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - After trailing for most of the first half, the Trine University men’s basketball team used a 13-0 run to carry them to a 63-51 victory over Kalamazoo College. The win improves the Thunder to 12-7 on the year and 5-3 in the MIAA.

The Hornets would score the first two baskets of the game, but Trine would answer right back making two straight of their own to tie it early on. Kalamazoo would continue to put the pressure on the Thunder, as the Hornets would not allow Trine to take a lead in the opening minutes. Trine would have an answer for each Kalamazoo basket, but would not take their first lead of the game until junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) made a jumper with 8:48 to play. Defense would be key after that basket as neither team would score for nearly four minutes until senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) nailed a jumper with 4:49 left in the half.

The Thunder defense would hold Kalamazoo scoreless for just over eight minutes until the Hornets hit a pair of free throw with 2:17 on the clock. Trine had been on a 13-0 run to that point. The Hornets would make just one field goal over the final 10:38 of the half, coming with just 9.2 seconds to play. Sophomore Jake Bagley (Van Wert, Ohio/Van Wert) would hit an 18-foot jumper as time expired to give the Thunder a 29-22 lead at the half.

Freshman Tarvis Malone (Toledo, Ohio/St. Johns Jesuit) hit a three to start the second half to give the Thunder their largest lead of the game at that point, leading by 10. After trading baskets over the course of several minutes, Kalamazoo would go on a 6-0 run to cut the Trine lead to just four. After again trading baskets over several minutes of play, freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) push the Thunder lead back to 10, converting the and-one after making a jumper in the paint with 7:03 to play in the game. Kalamazoo would answer with a layup, but that would be as close as they would get as the Thunder defense took the sting out of the Hornets down the stretch.

Senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) led the Thunder with 13 points on the afternoon and grabbed five rebounds. Jackson added 12 points and a game-high three steals while freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) scored 11 points off the bench. Holmquist led Trine with seven rebounds while sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) dished out a game-high four assists.

Trine held the Hornets to a conference season-low 51 points, which were also the fewest points allowed by the Thunder this season.

Trine will return home on January 30 to face Alma College for an 8:00 p.m. game.

1/23 - Tough First Half too Much for Thunder to Overcome

HOLLAND, Mich. - It was a tough night for the Trine University men’s basketball team. After hanging tough through the opening minutes, the Thunder were unable to keep pace with Hope College, falling 76-61. Trine (11-7 overall) has now dropped back-to-back conference games for the first time this season, and now sit in a tie for third with Adrian with a 4-3 MIAA record.

Trine would open the game scoring the first points as the two sides battled back-and-forth through the opening 10 minutes of the game as neither team pulled ahead by more than two. From there though, Hope finished the half out-scoring Trine 28-12 as the Flying Dutchmen led 42-26 at the break.

The Thunder would open the second half scoring the first points once again, but Hope quickly responded with a dunk. Trine would make back-to-back buckets, but Hope would too answer with back-to-back baskets of their own. The Thunder would cut the lead to 12 after scoring five straight points, but they would never be able to pull any closer, despite out-scoring the Flying Dutchmen in the second half.

Senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) led the Thunder with 14 points on 7-of-16 shooting while adding four rebounds and three assists. Fellow senior Neil Smith (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) came off the bench to score 10 points and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor. Senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) and junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) both added eight points for the Thunder. Rogers grabbed a team-high five rebounds while Watkins pulled down four. Sophomore Jake Bagley (Van Wert, Ohio/Van Wert) scored seven points against his former team.

From the floor, Trine hung close with the Flying Dutchmen, shooting 24-of-57 (42.1%) compared to 26-of-62 (41.9%) for Hope. However, the Thunder uncharacteristically struggled form the free throw line. Trine entered the game 11th in Division III in field goal percentage, but made just 56 percent (9-of-16) on the night while Hope connected on 17-of-23.

Trine will look to bounce back when they travel to Kalamazoo on January 26 for a 3:00 p.m. game.

1/19 - Thunder Fall in Defensive Battle to Knights

ANGOLA, Ind. - In a battle of the top two teams in the conference, the Trine University men’s basketball team let a seven point second half lead slip away as they fell to #21 Calvin College 56-43. The Thunder drop to 11-6 on the season and 4-2 in the MIAA.

The game started as an all-out defensive battle as the two sides combined for just 10 points through the opening 10 minutes of the game. The Thunder started the game on a 9-0 run before finally allowing a Calvin field goal at 10:01. Calvin would score seven straight points to cut the Trine lead to just two. From there, the two sides traded baskets through the rest of the half as neither team was able to distance themselves. Calvin would tie the game for the first time as they hit a layup as time expired as they headed to the locker rooms tied 23-23.

Trine opened the second half on an 11-4 run over the first four minute to push their lead to seven. It wouldn’t last long though as Calvin went on a nine point run of their own to take their first lead of the game with 10:24 to play. The Thunder battled back though as senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) hit a jumper and a free throw to give Trine back the lead. That would be the final time though as the Knights hit back-to-back three’s to give them a five point lead they would never relinquish. Trine’s offense would go silent for nearly five minutes down the stretch. Rogers would end the drought trying to keep the Thunder in it, scoring a jumper, free throw and a three-pointer in consecutive possessions, but Trine would again be held scoreless in the final 2:38 of the game.

Rogers led the Thunder with 14 points and also grabbing five rebounds. Freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) was the only other Trine player to reach double-figured, scoring 10 points and leading the Thunder with eight rebounds. Junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) added eight points for the Thunder. Senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) and sophomore Tyler Good (Swanton, Ohio/Evergreen) led Trine with three assists each.

For the game, Trine actually made more field goals than the Knights (18-to-17) but Calvin converted on 16-of-19 free throws compared to just 5-of-9 for the Thunder.

Two of the top four leading scorers in the MIAA, Jackson and Calvin’s Tom Snikkers, were held to a combined 11 points. The two came into the game averaging 24 and 18 points per game respectively. The Thunder also held Calvin to a season-low in points.

Trine will look to stay in the conference hunt when they travel to Hope on January 23 for an 8:00 p.m. game.

1/16 - Thunder Hold off Hailing Comets

ANGOLA, Ind. -  In a battle of the third and fourth place teams in the MIAA, The Trine University men’s basketball team held off a three-point blitz from Olivet College 81-77. The win moves the Thunder into a tie for second place with Hope with a 4-1 conference record and 11-5 overall on the season.

Trine came out on fire, scoring the first six points of the game and holding Olivet without a basket through the opening three minutes as the Thunder would open with an 11-3 run through the first 4:11 of the game. Olivet would have an answer for Trine’s hot streak as they held the Thunder without a basket for nearly four minute as they cut the lead to just two.

After trading baskets, Olivet would tie the game at 17-17. Trine junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) would hit a jumper but the Comets quickly answered back with a three by Jeff Cain to take their first lead of the game with 7:45 left in the half.  Olivet’s Garner Small would hit another three on their next possession as the Comets pulled out in front 23-19. That would be their largest, and last lead of the game as the Thunder defense held them to just a pair of free throws over the next 6:50. The Thunder would use that run to take a 10 points lead, 35-25 with 2:13 remaining as Trine headed into the break leading 37-30.

The two sides opened the second half by trading buckets as the Thunder would again lead by double-digits. Olivet would quickly cut the lead to just three as the Thunder called a timeout to recover. Coach Miller used the break to send the Thunder on a 6-0 run leading 48-39 five minutes into the half. The Thunder defense would then struggle to contain the Comets and their three-point shooters as they hit six straight field goals from behind the arc. During that stretch Olivet cut the Trine lead to just one, before the Thunder answered back with a combination of free throws and layups.

Trine would push their lead back to eight at 71-63 with 4:48 to play in the game. The Comets would not go away though as they scored six unanswered points to close the game to just two. Senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) refused to let Olivet back into it. On Trine’s ensuing possession Rogers slammed home his second dunk of the night on a pass from fellow senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian). The team would once again trade baskets before Olivet hit yet another three with just 24 seconds left  to put the score 79-77. Trine freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) would hit a pair of free throws with 15 seconds to play as the Thunder defense held the Comets scoreless on their final three attempts.

Five different Trine players scored in double-digits, their most since the second game of the season. Rogers led all players with 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the floor. Rogers also added in a game-high three blocks to go along with six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) and Watkins both finished with 14 points, 12 of Watkins came in the first half. Jackson had a solid all-around game, finishing the night with 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Holmquist nearly earned a double-double, ending the night with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) finished the day with a season- and game-high nine assists.

Trine shot an outstanding 53.8% (14-of-26) from the floor in the second half and finished the night hitting 46.6% (27-of-58). Over half of Olivet’s made fields goals came from long range, hitting 16-of-29.

The Thunder committed a season-low nine fouls, sending Olivet to the free throw line just eight times (7-of-8) while Trine went 25-of-32, both of which were season-highs.

Trine will be right back in action on January 19 when they host 22nd ranked and conference leading Calvin at 3:00 p.m.

1/12 - Teamwork leads Thunder to Victory over Albion

ANGOLA, Ind. - After trailing early, the Trine University men’s basketball team fought back to defeat conference foe Albion College 70-62. The Thunder improve to 10-5 on the season with the victory and 3-1 in the MIAA.

The Britons would hit two three-pointers in the opening minute to jump out to a 6-0 lead. Trine would score seven unanswered points to take a 7-6 lead. However, Albion would push it to their largest lead of the game at 21-14 with 12:35 left to play in the opening half. Trine would finally break free as they went on a 15-7 run to re-take the lead with 7:12 to play and never relinquish it. The Thunder would take a 39-35 lead into the locker room thanks in part to scoring 13 points off seven Albion turnovers while committing just two.

Trine came roaring out of the second half gate as the Thunder went on a 16-3 run to reach their largest lead of the game at 55-38. Albion wouldn’t go quietly though as they held Trine scoreless over a three minute period to close the gap to just five points. The Trine defense came up big late though as they allowed just one Albion basket in the final 3:54 to hold off the Britons.

Leading the way for the Thunder was senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) with a game-high 29 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including three from behind the arc. Jackson also went 8-of-9 from the charity stripe. Fellow senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) added 14 points and two steals. Freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) finished the afternoon with 11 points and pulled down a team-high six rebounds. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) led the Thunder with a game-high seven assists for the second straight game.

Seven of the nine Trine players who saw action recorded an assist as they finished the day with a season-high 16 as a team.

Trine will return to action on January 16 when they host Olivet at 8:00 p.m.

1/9 - Trine Drops Heartbreaker to Bulldogs

ADRIAN, Mich. - It would come down to the final seconds in a rematch last year’s MIAA tournament semi-finals between the  Trine University men’s basketball and 25th ranked Adrian College. After Trine tied the game with just 7.8 seconds to play, the Bulldogs would hit a jumper to take the win 56-54 over the Thunder. Trine drops to 9-5 on the season and 2-1 in the conference.

Both teams opened the game trading 3-pointers in the first five minutes as they hit a combined four trays out of six shots made. The Bulldogs would push their lead to their largest of the game 19-5, at the 12:49 mark of the half. Trine would battle back to pull within seven just two minutes later. With 4:28 to play, the Thunder would cut the Adrian lead to just three at 26-23 as freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) hit a jumper in the paint. Fellow freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) would hit a three with just 1:39 to play to tie it at 28 all. Adrian would convert on an and-one opportunity as they headed to the locker room with a one point lead, 31-30.

The two sides came out of the break trading baskets as Adrian continued to lead through the opening four minutes until Holmquist would tie the game hitting a pair of free throws. Another pair of free throws, this time by senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) would give the Thunder their first lead of the game at 40-38. The lead wouldn’t last long though as the Bulldogs would hit a jumper just 15 seconds later to tie the game back up. Both defenses picked up from there as both sides made just one basket over the next four minutes until senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) broke the 42-42 tie with 11:41 to play.

Again the squads would trade baskets as Trine led by one with 7:40 left in the game. Adrian would answer with a pair of baskets to go out in front by three. The Bulldogs would push their lead to five after a pair of free throws, but the Thunder would not go quietly as Rogers hit a jumper with just 55 seconds to play as Trine trailed by three.

With just nine seconds to play, sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) would be fouled while attempting a three, and after hitting the first two, he drilled the third to tie the game 54-54 with 7.8 seconds left. Adrian would dribble up the court and Cody Barnes would hit a jumper from 20 feet out with just over two seconds left to give Adrian the win.

Rogers led the Thunder with 17 points and six rebounds along with making five steals. Holmquist finished the night with 10 points and five rebounds while Jackson added nine points. Hall had one of the best games of his career, finishing the night with a game-high seven assists and a career best five steals to go along with seven points.

Turnovers were key all night for the Thunder as they forced 20 Adrian errors, converting them into 23 points.

Trine will look to power back when they host Albion on January 12 for a 3:00 p.m. tip.

1/7 - Jackson Named MIAA POW for Third Time

ROYAL OAK, Mich. - The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named Trine guard Ian Jackson its Co-Player of the Week in men’s basketball for games played through January 5. Jackson shared the honor this week with Calvin forward Tom Snikkers.

This marks the third time in the past five weeks that Jackson has earned the MIAA Player of the Week honors. The last MIAA player to accomplish that was Michael McClary from Olivet, winning the award during week #10, 12 and 14 of the 2010-11 season.

Jackson, a senior from Indianapolis, Ind. (Perry Meridian HS), averaged 34.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists as the Thunder won their first two MIAA contests. He poured in 37 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a 67-64 victory over Kalamazoo, then came back with 32 points and five assists in an 83-76 victory over Alma. Jackson, who is being honored as Player of the Week for the third time this season and seventh time in his career, shot 54 percent from the field (26 of 48) and 79 percent (15 of 19) from the line for the week.

1/5 - Jackson and Rogers Lead Thunder to Victory

ALMA, Mich. - Behind the efforts of the senior tandem of Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) and Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering), the Trine University men’s basketball team fought back from an early deficit to defeat Alma College 83-76. The Thunder improve their record to 9-4 on the season and 2-0 in the MIAA.

For the afternoon, Rogers and Jackson combined for 53 of Trine’s 83 points, shooting a combined 19-of-35 and attempting all but one of the team’s free throws.

The Scots jumped out early to a seven point lead several times in the first eight minutes, the last saw Alma leading 25-18 with 13 minutes and six seconds remaining in the first half. With 8:09 to play and Alma leading 32-26, Trine began to make their run. The Thunder would take their first lead of the game with 2:40 remaining as Jackson hit a pair of free throws to put Trine up 35-34. The two teams would trade baskets to close out the half as Trine led it 39-38.

Trine wouldn’t look back in the second half as they sprinted out of the gate, out-scoring the Scots 17-6 in the opening five minutes to take a commanding 56-44 lead. Midway through the period, Alma would make a run, scoring six straight points to cut the Trine lead to 67-62. The Thunder would answer right back though, going on a 9-1 run to put the game out of reach with 3:39 to play.

Jackson finished the day with a game-high 32 points and five assists. It’s the fifth time this season Jackson has scored 30+ points in a game, and the second in-a-row. Rogers finished with 21 points and made all seven of his free throw attempts. Rogers also led the Thunder with seven rebounds and two blocks.

Sophomore Tyler Good (Swanton, Ohio/Evergreen) added nine points while freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) added eight. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) matched Rogers with seven rebounds while dishing out a team season-high eight assists. Hall also made a game-high two steals.

Trine will head back out on the road to face #7 Adrian on January 9 for a 7:30 p.m. game.

1/3 - Jackson Scores 1,500 Career Point In MIAA Opener

ANGOLA, Ind. - After leading by double-digits in the first half, the Trine University men’s basketball team came back from five points down in the second half to win their MIAA opener 67-64 over Kalamazoo. The win improves the Thunder to 8-4 on the year.

Initially it was the Hornets who jumped out to the early lead, taking a six point advantage twice in the first five minutes. But with the game tied at 15 with 11 minutes and 6 seconds to play, the Thunder began make a run where they would out-score Kalamazoo 19-7 to take their largest lead of the game at 34-22. The Hornets would claw their way back though, as Trine led by just seven, 38-31 at the break. The key for Trine in the first half was turnovers, as they scored 12 points off seven Kalamazoo errors.

Just like at the start of the game, the Hornets made a run to open the second half to take a three point lead, 43-40, 5:50 into the period. After a back-and-forth battle, the Hornets would push their lead to five with 9:50 to play. This time however, it would be Trine with the comeback tying the game at 51 with 7:26 to go.

After trading baskets, the Thunder would make two consecutive baskets and freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) would hit a pair of free throws to give Trine a 59-53 advantage with 5:05 to play. Kalamazoo would answer back with a three and a pair of free throws to pull within one with 3:00 to play, but that would be the closest they would get. Although Trine was unable to make a field goal for nearly five minutes of play, the Thunder defense also held the Hornets without a field goal for nearly the same period of time. Trine senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) would make four free throws and a jumper in the final 1:31 to hold off the Hornets.

Jackson finished the night with a season- and game-high 37 points, just one shy of tying a career high. Jackson hit 14-of-26 from the floor, both season highs, on the night while also leading the Thunder with three assists and grabbing seven rebounds. Holmquist and senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) each added eight points and two blocks on the night. Rogers also led the Thunder with a game-high nine rebounds.

During the game, Jackson also scored his 1,500 career point, and moved into ninth place all-time in Trine University history with his current total of 1,518.

The Thunder were able to convert off Kalamazoo turnovers all night, forcing 12 of them into 20 points. Trine finishing the night hitting 45.5% from the floor (25-of-55) while the Hornets made 23-of-63 (36.5%).

Trine will take just a day off before returning to action on January 5 when they travel to Alma for a 3:00 p.m. game.

12/29 - Thunder Second at Smokey Ballenger Classic

WESTERVILLE, Ohio - The Trine University men’s basketball team fell in the championship game of the Smokey Ballenger Classic hosted by Otterbein College, 52-44 to the Milwaukee School of Engineering. The Thunder had advanced to the title game by defeating Penn St.-Behrend the night before 63-55. The Thunder begin their conference schedule with a 7-4 record.

In the opening game, Trine took a seven point lead through the first 10 minutes 11-4, but offense was hard to come by for both sides. The two sides battled it out through the rest of the opening half as the Lions held a 25-24 advantage at the half.

The Thunder began the second half on a 15-7 run to take their largest lead of the game at nine. Penn St.-Behrend rebounded quickly out-scoring the Thunder 10-1 to tie the game at 41 all. After once again trading baskets and the score tied at 48, the Thunder began to pull away in the final 7 minutes.

The championship game would also be a low-scoring affair as the Thunder were held to a season-low in points, but also allowed the fewest points of the season.

Trine held the lead for most of the first half as they had their biggest led at 18-12 with 8:31 remaining. The Raiders would score the next 10 points to take just their second lead of the half. For the second straight game though, the Thunder would again trail 25-24 at intermission.

The second half was a true battle as neither team was able to pull away by more than four points until the final minute. In the second half alone there were six lead changes and five tie scores. Trine was only able to convert on one field goal in the final 3:40, and were forced to foul MSOE and send them to the line. The Raiders would convert on 9-of-10 free throws in the final 1:43 to seal the game.

For the night the two teams shot nearly identical numbers from the floor, both made 17 field goals and two 3-pointers. But the difference came at the free throw line where the Thunder made just 8-of-13 compared to MSOE converting 16-of-22.

Seniors Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) and Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) were named to the All-Tournament Team. Jackson finished the tournament leading the Thunder with 24 points and seven assists while also grabbing six rebounds. Rogers led the Thunder with 13 rebounds, five steals and four blocks while scoring 14 points.

A trio of freshmen in Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston), Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) and Tarvis Malone (Toledo, Ohio/St. Johns Jesuit) helped the Thunder with 18, 17 and 16 points respectively for the two games. Holmquist also added nine boards and Malone made seven assists.

Trine will open conference play when they host Kalamazoo on January 3 for a 7:30 p.m. game.

12/17 - Late Rally Not Enough For Thunder Comeback

FRANKLIN, Ind. - After trailing by 13 early in the second half, the Trine University men’s basketball team nearly pulled off a comeback win, falling to Franklin College 69-62. The loss snaps Trine’s three-game winning streak, and drop to 6-3 on the season.

Trine jumped out to an early lead 5 minutes into the game as they scored six unanswered points to lead 10-5. Franklin though would slowly chip away at the Thunder lead, taking a one point lead at 17-16 with 9:49 to play in the half as Terry Porter was fouled and made the 3-pointer and ensuing free throw. After trading baskets, the Grizzlies would close out the first half on a 17-6 run, leading 36-24.

After exchanging buckets to open the second half, Franklin took their largest lead of the game on a three, 39-26. This time it would be Trine who would chip away at the lead. Over the next 8 minutes of play the Thunder would out-score Franklin 18-9 to pull within four. Trine would hang tough with the Grizzles, staying within reach.

Freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) would hit three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point try to trail by five at 60-55. That would be as close as Trine would get it, as Franklin scored the next six points. The Thunder did their best to pull within striking distance late, scoring eight points in the final 52 seconds, but were unable to hit a three or a layup as time expired.

Senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) led the Thunder with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Rogers also pulled down six rebounds while dishing out three assists and grabbing two steals. Freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) added in a season-high 14 points while pulling down a game-high nine rebounds. Fellow freshman Tarvis Malone (Toledo, Ohio/St. Johns Jesuit) reached double-digits with 10 points.

Both sides made 20 shots from the floor, but Franklin was able to connect on six from behind the arc while the Thunder made just one.

Trine will take the next two weeks off before returning to action when they participate in a tournament hosted by Otterbein beginning December 28. They will first face Penn St.-Behrend at 3:00 p.m.

12/17 - Jackson Repeats as MIAA Men's Basketball POW

ROYAL OAK, Mich. - The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named Trine guard Ian Jackson its Player of the Week in men’s basketball for games played through Dec. 16.

Jackson, a senior from Indianapolis, Ind. (Perry Meridian HS), earned Player of the Week honors for the second straight week as he poured in 34 points and dished out six assists in leading the Thunder to an 82-65 nonconference victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene. Jackson made 11 of 14 shots from the field (79 percent), including two 3-pointers, and was a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line. Jackson is being honored as Player of the Week for the second time this season and sixth time in his career.

12/14 - Big First Half Lead Thunder to Victory

ANGOLA, Ind. - In a matchup of dueling 30-point scorers, the Trine University men’s basketball team behind senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) defeated Mount Vernon Nazarene and their scorer Jason Dawson, 82-65. The Thunder improve their record to 6-2 on the season.

Behind the hot shooting of Jackson and fellow senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering), the Thunder raced out to an early 11-points lead just 5 minutes into the game at 13-2. The Cougars would slowly chip away at the Thunder lead, tying the game at 27-27 with 7:49 to play in the half. From there though, it was not only the Trine offense but also the Thunder defense that stepped up, allowing just four points, all on free throws, the rest of the half.

In the first half alone, Rogers and Jackson scored 17 and 16 points respectively. For the half, the Thunder shot an outstanding 60 percent (18-of-30) from the floor and were a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe.

Leading 50-31 to start the second half, Mount Vernon would cut the Trine lead to 10 early in the period. That would be a close as the Cougars would get as once again both the Thunder offense and defense picked things up in the final 10 minutes. With the score 63-53, Trine would go on a 18-5 run over the next 6 minutes to push their lead to the largest of the game at 23 points with 4:38 remaining in the half to secure the victory.

Jackson scored a season-high 34 points on 11-of-14 shooting and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. Jackson also dished out a team season-high six assists. Rogers finished his night making 10-of-15 from the floor for 23 points while pulling down a team season-high 12 rebounds. Rogers also dished out a season-high five assists. Off the bench, junior transfer Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) led the Thunder with three steals.

On the night, Trine shot 53.7 percent (29-of-54) from the floor compared to just 39 percent (20-of-51) for the Cougars. For just the second time this season, the Thunder out-rebounded their opponent, 34-26. Trine also tied a season-high with 15 assists, but also gave up a season-high 13 turnovers.

Trine will take the weekend off before returning to action on December 17 for a 7:00 p.m. game as they travel to non-conference opponent Franklin College.

12/10 - Jackson Named MIAA Men’s Basketball POW

ROYAL OAK, Mich. - The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named Trine guard Ian Jackson its Player of the Week in men’s basketball for games played through Dec. 9.

Jackson, a senior from Indianapolis (Perry Meridian HS), averaged 27.5 points, 3.5 assists and 3.0 steals in leading the Thunder to a pair of nonconference victories. He scored 24 points and added five assists and three steals in leading Trine to a 77-69 victory over Wabash, then scored 31 points in a 70-57 road win over North Park, Ill. Jackson, who is being honored as Player of the Week for the first time this season and fifth time in his career, shot 47 percent from the field (21 of 45) for the week and leads all MIAA players in scoring at 25.1 points per contest.

Nationally, Jackson ranks 15th in Division III in scoring and 42nd in steals per game.

12/8 - Jackson Leads Thunder to Fourth Straight Road Win

CHICAGO - The Trine University men’s basketball team picked up their fourth road win in-a-row as they defeated North Park University 70-57. The win improves the Thunder to 5-2 on the season.

The Vikings would lead early on in the game at 5-4, but back-to-back layups by senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) and freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) would give the Thunder a lead they would never relinquish. Late in the half, Jackson would slam home a dunk and convert on the ensuing free throw to give Trine a 33-21 lead with 2:23 remaining. North Park would cut the Thunder lead to eight at the half after making two layups in the final minute.

North Park would score the opening bucket of the second half to cut the Thunder lead to just six, but Trine would answer back with six straight points to push their lead back to double-digits. The teams would trade buckets over most of the second half until Trine scored another six consecutive points with 7:42 to play to take their largest lead of the game at that point, 55-41. The two sides would again trade points before Jackson again converted an and-one layup to put the Thunder up 68-51. With 2:48 to play, Jackson would then put an exclamation mark on the game as fellow senior Neil Smith (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) found him with a long in-bound pass as he threw the ball home with a one-handed dunk.

Jackson led all players with 31 points on 13-fo-25 shooting while also grabbing three steals. Freshman Tarvis Malone (Toledo, Ohio/St. Johns Jesuit) scored a career-best 14 points. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) dished out a game-high four assists while Smith also made a game-high four steals. Senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) and junior transfer Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) led the Thunder with four rebounds each.

Although the Thunder attempted a season-low seven three’s, the team converted 29-of-55 (52.7%) from the floor, their second best performance of the season. Trine, the national leader as a team in fewest turnovers per game, committed just seven while forcing 16 Viking turnovers, turning them into 21 points.

The win marks the fourth straight victory for Trine over the Vikings and now lead the all-time series 4-1.

The Thunder will take the week off as they prepare for final exams before returning to action on December 14 for a 7:00 p.m. as they face NAIA Mount Vernon Nazarene.

12/4 - Thunder Dunk Their Way to Victory

ANGOLA, Ind. - It was a dunk-fest for the Trine University men’s basketball team as four different players scored in double-digits in their non-conference win over Wabash 77-69. It almost wasn’t enough though for the Thunder as they saw an 18 point second half lead dwindle down to just two.

Trine took a 13 points lead, 44-31, into half time and quickly pushed it to their biggest lead of the game to open the second half at 18 when senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) hit the back-end of an and-one situation. Wabash would slowly begin to chip away at the Thunder lead as Trine was held scoreless over a 4 minute period as the Little Giants cut to the lead to single digits at 61-53.

Wabash would continue with a 9-3 run as the Thunder led by just 2 points with 4:47 to play. The Trine offense would kick into gear as the Little Giants would never be that close again. The Thunder would convert on seven free throws in the final two minutes while the defense held strong allowing just two Wabash baskets.

Jackson led all players with a game-high 24 points, five assists and three steals. Fellow senior Scott Rogers earned his first double-double of the season and seventh of his career, scoring 17 points while pulling down a game-high 10 boards. Freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) was just a rebound shy of his first collegiate double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing nine rebounds while making two blocks. Another freshman in Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) also scored in double figures with 12 points, nine of which came from behind the arc. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) matched Jackson with five assists and three steals.

The Thunder turned 16 Wabash turnovers into 21 points as Trine also out-scored the Little Giants 36-18 in the paint. The two sides shot nearly identical from the floor as Wabash hit 24-of-56 (42.9%) while the Thunder made 28-of-67 (41.8%) of their shots.

The play of the night came at 8:12 of the first half when Hall fed an alley-oop to Rogers who slammed the ball home for his second dunk of the night, sending the Trine student section into a frenzy. Jackson and junior transfer Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) also threw down dunks to add to their team season-high.

Trine will hit the road on December 8 to take on North Park (IL) for a 2:00 p.m. (est.) game.

12/1 - Thunder Fall in DIII Featured Game of the Week

ANGOLA, Ind. - The Trine University men’s basketball team held their own against the fifth ranked North Central College, but the Thunder offense couldn’t get going midway through the second half as they fell 64-47 in their home-opener.  The game was picked as the NCAA Division III Game of the Week as voted on by fans on the Division III facebook page.

Trine (3-2) got the scoring going first as freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) drained a three to start the game. Both defenses would clamp down though as scored just a combined 25 points through the first 10 minutes of the game. Trine held the lead early until the Cardinals hit a three at 13:51 to take the lead they would never relinquish. Trine would be down just one with 2:44 to go in the first but North Central would score the final six points to take a 28-21 lead at the break.

North Central would open the half by pushing their lead to double-digits at 32-21 off a pair of baskets. The Thunder would quickly rally though as they scored 12 points in four minutes to pull within two at 35-33. That would be as close as they would get though as the offense was shutout over a 5 minute period as the Cardinals pushed their lead to 17 and never looked back.

Senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) led all players with 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the floor and a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line. Jackson also made a game-high four steals. Fellow senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) added in seven points and a team-high six rebounds. Sophomore Dustin Hall (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) led the Thunder with three assists.

As a team Trine was nearly perfect from the charity stripe hitting 13-of-14, but struggled from behind-the-arc making just 2-of-16. The Cardinals hit 57.8 percent (26-for-45) from the floor for the game while the Thunder made 16-of-55 (29.1%). The Thunder defense held the Cardinals to their second fewest points on the season.

Trine will next take on Wabash at home on December 4 for a non-conference game at 7:30 p.m.

11/27 - Rogers Named MIAA Player of the Week

ROYAL OAK, Mich. - The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named Trine University senior forward Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering HS) its Player of the Week in men’s basketball for games played through Nov. 25. Rogers shared the award with Olivet’s Garner Small.

Rogers averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots as he led the Thunder to a pair of victories in the MIAA/Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Challenge at Earlham, Indiana. Rogers scored 19 points and added six rebounds and four steals in an 88-61 rout of the host Quakers, then came back with 18 points, five rebounds and seven blocked shots in a 78-61 victory over Manchester. Rogers, who is being honored as Player of the Week for the second time in his career, shot 76 percent from the field (13-of-17) and 92 percent from the free throw line (11-of-12) for the tournament.

11/25 - Thunder Sweep MIAA/HCAC Challenge

RICHMOND, Ind. - It was a perfect weekend for the Trine University men’s basketball team as they swept their way through the MIAA/HCAC Challenge, defeating Manchester University 78-61. The Thunder have now won three in-a-row and are 3-1 on the season.

Trine jumped out to an early lead after scoring the first four points of the game. From there though, the two teams would slug it out the rest of the half as they traded leads twice. With two minutes to go and the score tied at 31, the Thunder would score the final five points of the half to take a 36-31 lead into the locker room.

The second half started similarly as the two sides traded baskets. But with a two-point lead at 45-43, the Thunder would take off on a 9-point run in the span of just two minutes. The Spartans would quickly cut into the lead as Trine led by just three with just under 10 minutes to go in the game. Once again though, the Thunder would go on a quick burst, scoring 7 points in another two minute span. Trine would put the game away as they scored the final 8 points of the game, not allowing Manchester to score in the final two minutes.

Senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) led the Thunder with a game-high 23 points and three steals while also dishing out three assists. Fellow senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) added 18 points and a career- and game-high 7 blocks while also pulling down five boards. Freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) also scored in double-digits, adding in 13 points.

Freshmen Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) grabbed a game-high eight boards while Tarvis Malone (Toledo, Ohio/St. Johns Jesuit) added a game-high five assists.

Trine shot 48 percent from the floor on the night, including 10-of-20 for the second half. The Thunder also shot 84.6 percent (22-of-26) from the charity stripe. The seven blocks by Rogers was the most since Thad Richardson made six at Adrian on February 5, 2005.

The Thunder will take the week off before hosting North Central (IL) on December 1 at 1:00 p.m.

11/24 - Thunder Take First Game of MIAA/HCAC Challenge

RICHMOND, Ind. - A 14-point halftime lead was more than enough to hold up for the Trine University men’s basketball team as they easily defeated Earlham College 88-61 in the first day of the MIAA/HCAC Challenge. The victory improves the Thunder to 2-1 on the season.

It took the Thunder nearly two and a half minutes to score their first points of the game, as they trailed early on 12-4. Trine would take their first lead of the game at 18-17. The two sides would trade buckets before senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) put the Thunder up for good on a layup with 8:40 to play in the half, leading 20-19. Trine would build to their halftime lead, out-scoring the Quakers 20-7 in the final 8 minutes.

The Trine offense would continue to put the pressure on Earlham, pushing their lead to 20 with 10:45 remaining in the game as Jackson hit a pair of free throws followed by a three as the Quakers were never able to cut into the lead. The Thunder would lead by as much as 27 points in the second half.

Jackson led all scorers with 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting while dishing out five assists. Fellow senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) threw down a season-high 19 points of 6-of-7 shooting from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Rogers also pulled down a game-high six rebounds and four steals. Junior transfer Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) added in 12.

In all, nine different Trine players scored in the game as the Thunder shot a season-high 55.2 percent (32-of-58) from the floor. The Thunder forced 20 Earlham turnovers, turning them into 28 points while Trine committed just seven turnovers for the night.

Trine will go right back to action tomorrow, November 25, as they take on Manchester at 2:00 p.m. in the second day of the MIAA/HCAC Challenge.

11/17 - Thunder Finish 1-1 at Tournament

TIFFIN, Ohio - The Trine University men’s basketball team finished 1-1 at the Heidelberg Alumni Tournament as they fell to host Heidelberg 80-77 on November 16 before rebounding to defeat Akron-Wayne 100-75.

In their season-opener, the Thunder trailed by just one, 34-33 at the half despite not allowing Heidelberg to reach the free throw line. Trine would hit 51.7 percent from the field in the second half, but the Student Princes would not be out-done on their home court, shooting 56 percent from the floor.

Senior Ian Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) led all scorers with 33 points on 13-of-21 shooting and tying a team-high with six boards. Fellow senior Scott Rogers (Waterford, Mich./Kettering) scored 14 points on the night and pulling down five rebounds. Freshman Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City) matched Jackson with six rebounds while adding in five points.

In the consolation game, the Thunder built a 20-point halftime lead over Akron-Wayne 51-31 en-route to the victory.

Five different players scored in double-figures for the Thunder led by freshman Nick Tatu (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) with a game-high 23 points. Jackson added 16 points and a game-high five steals. Rogers scored 14 points while transfers sophomore Jake Bagley (Van Wert, Ohio/Van Wert) and junior Todd Watkins (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Bernard) each added in 11 points.  

Trine will compete in the two-day MIAA/HCAC Challenge which begins November 24 with the Thunder first taking on the host Earlham at 4:00 p.m.

11/3 Men’s team Takes International Trip to Canada

The Trine Thunder men’s basketball squad got a jumpstart on the upcoming 2012-2013 season with a trip to Canada on September 30-October 1 to compete against the University of Windsor and Western Ontario University. Taking a preseason trip to Canada has been something that Coach Miller has been working on with this group for quite some time and hopes that their program will reap the rewards when they start conference play in January. Although there are the obvious positives of extra practice time and team bonding, Coach Miller also felt that there was a bigger picture to what this trip was all about.

“The most unique experience about a trip like this is that for the first time in their lives, our players are not only representing Trine University but the United States as well and I hope that is a feeling that will endure with them throughout their lifetime,” Miller stated.

The team proved to be great ambassadors of both the U.S. and Trine University with their effort and hardnosed style of play. The trip was highlighted with a victory over Western Ontario in their final contest 67-57 as the defense was able to create a combined 50 turnovers for the trip. Every member of the team was able to participate in the action which allowed the coaching staff to get an early peek at a talented incoming class as well as the improvements made by those returning from last year’s 15-11 team. The men’s basketball team will have a two week layover until it is officially able to begin practice on October 15 with their first contest on the road at Heidelberg on November 16.

11/1 - Thunder Picked to Finish Fourth in MIAA

ROYAL OAK, Mich. - After finishing third in the MIAA a season ago, the Trine University men’s basketball team has been picked to finish fourth in the conference in the preseason poll.

Defending champions Hope was picked to repeat by the coaches with six first place votes. Adrian, the team that knocked the Thunder out of the MIAA Tournament, was picked to finish second while Calvin was third with two first place votes.

Second year head coach Brooks Miller returns three starters from a team that finished with a 15-11 record a season ago. The 2011-12 squad led the MIAA in free throw percentage, turnover margin and fewest turnovers committed.

Leading the Thunder will be a pair for 1,000 scorers in seniors Ian Jackson and Scott Rogers. Jackson, a two-time All-MIAA First Team honoree led the team averaging 18.3 points per game and was second on the squad in assists and fourth in rebounding and steals. Jackson was also second in the conference in scoring.

Rogers was also named All-MIAA First Team in 2011-12 after earning second team honors the previous year. Rogers was ninth in the conference in scoring, third in field goal percentage and was second on the team in scoring and rebounds per game.

Sophomore Braden Knight also returns at the guard position after leading the squad in steals. This year’s team features seven new faces to go along with eight returners as the Thunder look to make another run at the MIAA Championship.

The Thunder began their season as they made a preseason trip to Canada where they competed against the University of Windsor and Western Ontario University. The trip was highlighted with a victory over Western Ontario in their final contest 67-57 as the defense was able to create a combined 50 turnovers for the trip.

The team will travel to Division I IUPUI on November 3 for an exhibition game beginning at 12:00 p.m. before opening their regular season at Heidelberg for a two-day tournament beginning on November 16. The squad’s first home game will be on December 1 when they host North Central.

Men's Poll Results (First-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Hope (6) 9 pts. 2. Adrian 15. 3. Calvin (2) 17.  4. Trine 23. 5. Albion 31. 6. Alma 39. 7. Olivet 42. 8. Kalamazoo 48.

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