SHERMAN, Texas - Less than four minutes into the second half, Trinity University had doubled its seven-point halftime lead and pushed the margin to as much as 26 before eventually settling for an 88-65 semifinal victory over Schreiner University Saturday afternoon at the 2022 SCAC Men's Basketball Tournament. Official Tournament Website | Photo Gallery | Awards Photos | Postgame Interview
Second-seeded Trinity (22-4) advances to tomorrow's SCAC Championship game where the Tigers will play top seed University of St. Thomas in a rematch of last year's title game. Additionally, with today's win, Trinity has clinched the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament as St. Thomas, in its final year of NCAA Division III provisional membership, is not yet eligible for the national postseason play. Under such circumstances, the league's highest seeded team entering the tournament who is eligible for the NCAA tournament receives the automatic bid and as the No. 2 seed, the Tigers have already punched their ticket to the postseason.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Trinity shot 51.4 percent (18-35) in the decisive second half and held Schreiner to just 29.7 percent (11-37).
- The only team in league holding opponents below 40.0 percent a game, Trinitys defense lived up to its billing as Schreiner finished at 34.4 percent (22-64) for the game, their second-lowest output of the season.
- After being outscored 18-12 in the paint in the first half, Trinity turned the tables and outscored the Mountaineers 24-14 in the second half.
- Trinity used a balance attack with four of its five starters, and five players total, scoring in double figures.
- Tanner Brown: 16 points, four rebounds, two assists
- AJ Clark: 14 points, four rebounds, five steals
- Kaleb Jenkins: 10 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals
- Enzo Sechi: 11 points, three assists
- Jacob Harvey: 10 points, four assists
- Alex Dehoyos: 14 points, six assists, two steals
- Jalen Ned: 14 points, three rebounds
- Kamden Ross: 10 points, 13 rebounds
- Bronson Evans: eight points, seven rebounds
- Following the first men's semifinal, which had tied a 2012 game between Centre and Birmingham-Southern for the second-largest margin of victory in tournament history (19 points), this game set the new mark with Trinity's 23-point win. The previous record had been set at the 2006 tournament when DePauw defeated Rhodes 74-54.
- This was the fourth meeting between the two schools in SCAC Championship play and Saturday's result evens the tournament series at two games apiece. Schreiner won the first two matchups (semifinals in 2018 and quarterfinals in 2020) and Trinity has won the last two (quarterfinals in 2021).
- Trinity's victory over Schreiner was its third of the season as the Tigers swept the Mountaineers during the regular season. Trinity won 95-84 at Schreiner in overtime on Dec. 4 and took a 98-74 victory in San Antonio on Feb. 15.
- Schreiner ends its season with a 15-12 record.
Trinity (22-4) advances to Sunday's championship game where top-seeded St. Thomas awaits the Tigers. Tip for tomorrow's title game is scheduled for Noon CT. Trinity is seeking its conference record seventh tournament title and first since 2014 while St. Thomas is trying to win its second tournament championship in as many tries. St. Thomas has won 10 straight games and has not lost since a 64-55 loss at Trinity on Jan. 21.
