SAN ANTONIO – The eighth-ranked Trinity University men's basketball team celebrated Senior Day with a narrow 59-57 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference win over Colorado College on Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers improved to 22-1 this season, including a league-best 13-1 record in conference play. Colorado College fell to 13-10 this year and are now 7-7 in conference. With the win, Trinity secures the SCAC Regular Season Championship and the top seed at the SCAC Tournament February 23-25, in Shreveport, La. Trinity also sweeps the regular season series between the two Tiger teams, having also won 84-69 on the road earlier this season.

The game was tied 55-55 with just under three minutes left, but neither team scored again until the final minute of the game. Colorado College hit a pair of foul shots to take the lead, then senior Tanner Brown (San Antonio, Texas / Brandeis) buried a go-ahead three-pointer with 38 seconds to play. That shot wound up being the game-winner as Colorado College missed a pair of go-ahead shots in the final seconds.

Brown finished with 12 points and eight rebounds in the game, adding a team-best four steals in the final regular season home game of his career. Along with Brown, seniors Grayson Herr (Farmington, Conn. / Farmington) and Abdullah Roberts (Houston, Texas / HYCA) were also honored before the game.

Christian Green (San Antonio, Texas / Veterans Memorial) led Trinity with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds, along with two blocks and three steals. Dean Balo (Dallas, Texas / JJ Pearce) was Trinity's only other player to reach double figures, scoring 10 points to go with three steals. Braxton Barry (Houston, Texas / Westbury Christian) snagged eight rebounds and recorded four blocks for the Tigers as well.

The Rundown

Both teams struggled offensively in the game, but the first half was especially low-scoring as the two squads combined for just 43 points. It was nearly four minutes before either team hit a field goal. Colorado College scored seven straight points shortly after that to take a 10-6 lead with less than 11 minutes left in the opening half. The visitors never trailed again the rest of the first half, though Trinity did briefly tie the game at 14-14 with just over four minutes left. Brown hit a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left to bring the margin down to one, but Colorado College hit two from the stripe in the final seconds to take a 23-20 lead at the break.

The halftime break was just what Trinity needed on offense as the Tigers came out of the locker room with 10 unanswered points to take a 30-23 lead. Green scored a pair of layups during the stretch, while Brown and Jacob Millhouse (Plano, Texas / Independence) both knocked down three-point shots. Colorado College made a move of its own to tie the game with under 16 minutes left in the game, but Green got a steal and a breakaway dunk to put Trinity back in front 32-30.

Trinity eased out to a five-point lead by the 12-minute mark, but was unable to break away. Colorado College scored six straight to take a brief lead, then Green tied things up 39-39 by going 1-of-2 at the foul line to end the next possession. Nearly a minute later, Colorado College took the lead again with a three-pointer, but Green once again tied things up with a fast break layup. The two teams wound up trading the lead several times over the final eight minutes, setting up the game-winning shot by Brown.

Barry tied the game 55-55 at the foul line with under three minutes to play, but the teams combined to miss the next eight shots over a scoreless stretch of two minutes. Brown answered Colorado's go-ahead foul shots with his clutch shot from distance that turned out to be the game-winner. Colorado College missed a potential go-ahead shot from the paint with under 20 seconds to go and Trinity got the rebound. Trinity got fouled with 3.8 seconds left and made one of two free throws, but Colorado College's final three-point attempt came up short, and Trinity held on for the win.

Coach Speak

"I couldn't be happier for our team and particularly for our seniors for clinching the regular season championship," said Head Coach Jimmy Smith. "From where we started as a team when those three were freshmen, to where we are now, is a testament to the work that they have put in, and the quality of people that they are. Winning a championship in their last home game is so awesome!"

Up Next

Trinity opens the final regular season weekend of the year on the road, beginning with a game at the University of St. Thomas on Friday, February 16, at 5:30 p.m. The Tigers finish off the regular season schedule at Centenary College on Sunday, February 18, tipping off at 12:00 p.m.