GAME NOTES: The Snow College men's basketball team will head to Centerville, Iowa, and participate in the Financial Partners Classic Friday and Saturday. They will take on No. 5 Indian Hills Community College Friday at 6:00 p.m. MST before wrapping up the tournament against Lake Region State College Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
The Badgers enter the tournament riding a 4-game winning streak. Most recently, they earned a pair of convincing victories against Central Wyoming College. They defeated the Rustlers 100-50 Nov. 30 before earning a 112-48 victory Dec. 4.
Snow College shot 62 percent from the field against the Rustlers, the second-best shooting percentage in any game this season. The Badgers have shot 50 percent or better in nine games this season, including four in which they have shot 60 percent or better.
As a team, the Badgers are shooting 54.3 percent from the field through the first 12 games of the season, which slots them at 3rd overall in the nation. They are also shooting 75.7 percent from the free-throw line, which is 12th in the country.
Coleman Ford (So./Provo, Utah/Timpview HS) recorded 13 assists in the Badgers' 112-48 victory against CWC. This ties Drake Allen for the program record for assists in a game. Allen recorded 13 assists in an 87-73 victory against Utah State University Eastern Jan. 20. 2022.
The Badgers are one of the most efficient teams in the country. As a team through the first 12 games of the season, the Badgers' offensive efficiency, a stat that measures average points per possession, sits at 1.262. Their net efficiency is 0.383. Both of which land them as the 7th most efficient team in the country.
IHCC owns an 11-3 overall record to begin the season and has won nine straight games entering the weekend. As a team, the Warriors average 85.4 points per game. Friday's game will be the first meeting between the two teams.
LRSC has won seven of their first 13 games of the season but has lost three of their last four. The Royals shoot the 8th most 3-pointers in the country but are shooting just 29 percent on those attempts, which is 157th overall. The Badgers have never faced the Royals in program history.
LAST TIME OUT: The Snow College men's basketball team claimed a 112-48 victory against Central Wyoming College Wednesday as part of a neutral site match in Taylorsville. The Badgers have won four straight and improved to 11-1 to begin the 2024-25 season.
The Badgers entered the game fresh off the heels of a 100-50 victory against the Rustlers. Wednesday's matchup would follow a similar suit as the Badgers led wire-to-wire to claim their largest margin of victory of the season.
Snow College started the game on a 7-0 run as two layups from Mark Brown Jr. (So./South Phoenix, Arizona/Bella Vista Prep) sandwiched a 3-pointer from Chance Trujillo (Fr./Kaysville, Utah/Davis HS).
The Badgers led 13-6 five minutes into action before their offense exploded over the next 14 minutes of the first half. Snow College went on a 48-12 extended run to take a 59-18 lead. The Badgers shot 80 percent from the field (20-26) during that stretch and forced 13 turnovers. They would take a 61-21 lead into the halftime break.
Snow College was met with little resistance in the second half as well. The Badgers extended the lead to 43 points before going on a 20-0 run over a five-minute stretch to take a 102-39 lead with just over five minutes to play. They would go on to secure the 112-48 victory.
As a team, the Badgers shot 62 percent from the field – the second-best shooting performance this season. They received 60 points off the bench for the first time since scoring 61 points in a victory against Community Christian College Feb. 18, 2023.
Seven Badgers scored in double figures for the second time this season. Isaac Finlinson (So./St. George, Utah/Dixie HS) led all scorers with 19 points and also grabbed 9 rebounds. Kyle Lemke (Fr./St. George, Utah/Dixie HS) recorded 16 points, while McCaden Adams (Fr./Pleasant Grove, Utah/Pleasant Grove HS) fell one rebound short of a double-double with 13 points and 9 boards.
Brown Jr. added 13 points, while Trujillo and Sean Felts (Fr./Draper, Utah/Crimson Cliffs, HS) both tallied 12 points. Coleman Ford (So./Provo, Utah/Timpview HS) recorded his first career double-double as he chipped in 11 points and dished 11 rebounds to aid in the victory.
The Badgers will now prepare for the final non-conference games of the season at the Indian Hills Classic Friday, Dec. 13, and Saturday, Dec. 14, in Centerville, Iowa. They will take on No. 5 Indian Hills Community College Friday at 5:00 p.m. before facing Lake Region State College Saturday at 3:30 p.m. For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.
UP NEXT: The Badgers will have a 3-week break for the holidays before beginning Scenic West Athletic Conference Play Jan. 2 against Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville. The No. 6 Bruins own a 9-1 overall record and have won each of their last eight games. The Badgers have lost three straight to the Bruins. The game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. inside the Lifetime Activity Center in Taylorsville. For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.
