SAN ANTONIO - Trinity University Men's Basketball took care of business Sunday afternoon with a 78-69 victory over Austin College in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

The Tigers (18-3, 10-2 SCAC) took advantage of 12 first-half points from sophomore guard Tanner Brown (San Antonio, Texas / Brandeis) including seven in a game-turning 9-2 run just past the midway point of the first period. Brown led the way in scoring with 19 points to go with eight rebounds.

Trinity took control of the contest with a pair of noticeable team advantages in offensive rebounding and fastbreak points. The Tigers set a new season high on the offensive glass with 18 extra possessions led by three apiece from Brown and senior guard AJ Clark (San Antonio, Texas / Johnson).

The game was iced by reaching the free throw line for 30 attempts, the eighth time this season the Tigers tallied 30 or more from the stripe.

This week's SCAC Character & Community Male Athlete of the Week, senior forward Mason Roberts (Kerrville, Texas / Tivy), drew his first career start and logged a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor. Twenty-one Tigers hit the floor for Trinity, 13 of which with eight or more minutes played.

Trinity Men's Basketball hosts Texas Lutheran University Wednesday night at 6 p.m. for more SCAC competition.

The Rundown

Junior forward Enzo Sechi (Houston, Texas / Memorial) got the offense moving with back-to-back baskets including a smooth turnaround jumper from the left elbow for a 10-6 lead early.

The 'Roos put together a 13-2 run over three-and-a-half minutes for their largest lead of the contest at 19-12. Consecutive three-pointers from Clark and first-year guard Jacob Harvey (Huffman, Texas / Hargrave) brought the margin to one point in less than a minute of game time.

Harvey later took the lead from the free throw line in the midst of an 8-0 run which was capped by a sweeping, left-handed skyhook from senior forward David Nickell (Humble, Texas / Atascocita).

Soon after, Brown scored seven points in a 9-2 Trinity stretch that built the largest margin of the first period of nine points. The Tigers' two runs in the middle portion of the opening stanza combined for a 17-5 swing in a little over four minutes of play.

The Kangaroos briefly bounced back to within a possession after the under-four media but seven of Trinity's next nine points from junior guard Kaleb Jenkins (New Orleans, La. / Metairie Park) put the advantage back to eight points with a minute to play.

The Tigers came out of the intermission with an 18-3 explosion that lasted through two media timeouts over the first six-plus minutes of the second stanza. A Brown three-pointer from the right corner thrust Trinity to its largest lead of 23 points.

Sunday's SCAC contest hovered around the 20-point margin for the remainder as five different Tigers scored over the next five-plus minutes after Brown's three.

Trinity's bench held onto the double-digit advantage until the final 30 seconds of the second period to seal its 10th victory in SCAC competition, and seventh in a row.

Coach Speak

"Another game of ups and downs but we again played well enough to win," Head Coach Jimmy Smith remarked. "We really have a special group of guys; hard to believe we only have four regular-season games left. Definitely excited to be where we are currently at and look forward to our next opportunity Wednesday against TLU."

Up Next

Trinity Men's Basketball will host Texas Lutheran in a make-up contest, previously scheduled for January 8.

The Tigers will then host Southwestern University Saturday, Senior Day for the 2021-22 campaign.